DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i07.002

Pages: 473-480

Type 2 Diabetic Retinopathy (T2DR) is one of the most communal diabetic eye diseases and a prominent cause of blind¬ness. It is characterized by variations in the blood vessels of the retina. Previous studies have reported that T2DR is allied with neurodegeneration and that apoptosis may occur in diabetic retina. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is one of the member of neurotrophin family, is very effective in protecting retina from hyperglycemia in vitro. In addition, BDNF stimulate the expression of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) and elevate the phosphorylation levels of TrkB in retina. As per the available literature reviewed it can be hypothesized that by regulating the expression level of miRNA-15a, expression level of BDNF can be regulated which in turn can normalize the TrkB/MAPK pathway and may protect apoptosis of human retina cells, which provides novel acumens into the pathogenesis of T2DR. Therefore, miR-15a could be a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for T2DR.