Abstract

Background. Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous disease determined by genetic, epigenetic and environmental risk factors that closely interact with each other. Genetic factors influence the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR), which causes dysregulation of related epigenetic mechanisms, including the formation of non-coding RNAs, which leads to changes in the expression of genes involved in the pathogenesis of DR. Aim: to establish the importance of microRNA in the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Materials and methods. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies investigating the role of microRNAs in DR. The search strategy was developed in accordance with the PRISMA (2020) guidelines. Four electronic databases were used: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. Search terms included “microRNA,” “diabetic retinopathy.” Results. MicroRNAs are directly involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and DR and affect multiple targets, which may provide a strategic advantage in the formulation of therapeutic approaches, given the potential to simultaneously modulate the expression of multiple genes. Among others, dysregulation of miRNA-146a and miR-146a-5p may play an important role in the onset and progression of DR complications. Conclusion. Despite the large number of scientific works explaining the involvement of microRNAs in the development of DR, their specific mechanisms and target molecules remain unstudied, which dictates the need for further research into the main signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of the participation of microRNAs in the development and progression of DR