Downregulation of lncRNA BANCR participates in the development of retinopathy among diabetic patients

The long non-coding (lnc)RNA B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase-activated non-protein coding RNA (BANCR) is a well-characterized oncogene, while its potential functions in other diseases remain elusive. In the present study, the possible association of BANCR with diabetic retinopathy was investigated. A total of 244 patients with diabetes were followed up every 6 months for 8 years to record the occurrence of retinopathy. A total of 38 patients developed diabetic retinopathy. During the follow-up, the plasma levels of lncRNA BANCR decreased in those patients with diabetic retinopathy but not in those with other complications or without any complications. The plasma levels of lncRNA BANCR at 12 months prior to the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy are able to sufficiently distinguish diabetic retinopathy patients from healthy controls and diabetic patients without any obvious complications. In vitro, high-glucose treatment failed to affect the expression of lncRNA BANCR in the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19. However, lncRNA BANCR overexpression inhibited the apoptosis of ARPE-19 cells under high-glucose conditions. Therefore, it is indicated that lncRNA BANCR participates in the development of retinopathy in diabetic patients through its regulatory role in cell apoptosis, and may serve as a novel prognostic indicator and therapeutic target.