Exploration of the potential therapeutic benefits of naringenin against diabetic retinopathy through a National comprehensive cross-sectional study and in vitro experiments.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a severe, vision-threatening complication of diabetes. Despite the implementation of various preventive measures, controlling and preventing DR remains a significant challenge. This study investigates the association between naringenin (NAR) intake and the risk of DR.

Methods: Data were collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between NAR consumption and DR after adjusting for multiple confounding variables. Additionally, biological experiments, such as CCK8, Western blot and Flow cytometry analysis, were conducted to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying NAR's protective effects.

Results: The results revealed that higher NAR consumption was associated with a reduced risk of DR, particularly in subgroups with diabetes duration exceeding 10 years. In vitro experiments revealed that high-glucose (HG) conditions significantly decreased the viability of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs). However, NAR administration mitigated these adverse effects. Western blot analysis showed that HG conditions markedly increased the expression of cleaved-Caspase-3 and Bax while decreasing Bcl-2 expression; these changes were reversed by NAR treatment. Flow cytometry analysis further confirmed that NAR significantly alleviated the increased apoptosis rate of HRMECs under HG conditions.

Conclusion: In conclusion, NAR intake may benefit DR prevention by protecting retinal vascular endothelial cells from hyperglycemia-induced injury.