Exosomes or small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) represent a pivotal component in intercellular communication, carrying a diverse array of biomolecules. Several factors can affect sEVs release dynamics, as occurs in hyperglycemia or inflammation. In fact, sEVs release has been associated with the promotion of physio-pathological processes. Among the sEVs cargo, microRNAs play an essential role in cell-to-cell regulation. More concretely, miR-205-5p is related to angiogenesis and cell proliferation. The aim of this study is to understand the specific role of sEVs containing miR-205-5p under high glucose conditions. ARPE-19 cells were cultured with high glucose (HG) for 5 days. sEVs were isolated and characterized. sEVs from ARPE-19 were used for angiogenesis and cell proliferation. HG increased sEVs release but downregulated miR-205-5p cargo expression compared to the control. sEVs from HG-treated ARPE-19 cells promoted tube formation and migration processes. In contrast, miR-205-5p overexpression (by mimic transfection) decreased angiogenesis and cell migration. Our results demonstrate how ARPE-19 cells respond to HG challenge by increasing sEVs with weak miR-205-5p cargo. The absence of this miRNA in sEVs is enough to promote angiogenesis. In contrast, restoring sEVs-miR-205-5p levels decreased it. These findings open new possibilities in sEVs-based therapies containing miR-205-5p against angiogenesis.
Keywords: angiogenesis; extracellular vesicles; miR-205-5p; migration; retinal pigment epithelium.