Vahid Akbari Korhkheyli - Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Mohammad Amir Mishan - Ocular Tissue Engineering Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abbas Khonakdar Tarsi - Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Abdolkarim Mahrooz - Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Mozhgan Rezaei Kanavi - Ocular Tissue Engineering Research Center, Research Institute for Ophthalmology and Vision Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ali Hafezi-Moghadam - Molecular Biomarkers Nano-Imaging Laboratory, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Abouzar Bagheri - Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is ocular microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Along with the increasing prevalence of diabetes worldwide, DR has come into the major cause of human blindness. Several studies have demonstrated the important roles of the expression alteration in the proteins contributed to vascular dysfunction during DR, especially vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, there is a need for further mechanistic research in this context to design new therapeutic and diagnostic programs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) have been introduced as key controllers of gene expression in a variety of biological processes including differentiation, proliferation, and metabolism. Altered expression of miRNAs during DR development indicates a close relationship between these regulatory molecules and DR through regulating gene expressions. This review discusses and updates the functions of miRNA-dependent pathways and key roles of VEGF in the DR, which may increase our understanding and ability to target these small but important molecules to efficiently improve therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.

Diabetic retinopathy, Gene regulation, Molecular targeting, miRNAs, VEGF