MicroRNA-466 and microRNA-200 increase endothelial permeability in hyperglycemia by targeting Claudin-5

Endothelial cell (EC) permeability is essential to vascular homeostasis in diabetes. MicroRNAs are critical gene regulators whose roles in the EC permeability have yet to be characterized. This study aims to examine the change in cell permeability induced by miR-200 and miR-466 in ECs. Human aortic ECs and dermal microvascular ECs from healthy subjects and type 2 diabetic patients were used. Our in vitro experiments unveiled higher expressions of miR-200 family members and miR-466 in diabetic ECs and in healthy ECs when exposed to high glucose. Overexpression of both miR-200 and miR-466 significantly increased EC permeability through transcriptional suppression of Claudin-5, the cell tight junction protein, by directly binding to its 3′ untranslated region. In a mouse model of chronic hyperglycemia mimicking type 2 diabetes in humans (db/db mice), the delayed closure rate of a full-thickness excisional wound was partly rescued by topical application of the miR-200 inhibitor. The topical application of both miR-200 and miR-466 inhibitors exhibited improved efficacy in accelerating wound closure compared with the topical application of miR-200 inhibitor alone. Our study demonstrated the potentially effective approach of miR-200/miR-466 cocktail inhibition to restore vascular integrity and tissue repair in hyperglycemia.