Figure 5. High glucose and miR-21 mimics enhanced the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF. Perindopril-treated ARPE-19 cells were transfected with scramble control (NG and high glucose), miR-21 mimics (high glucose), or antagomirs of miR-21 (high glucose). Compared with NG, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed high glucose–induced increase of HIF-1α and VEGF. Compared with high glucose, miR-21 mimics under the high glucose condition further increased the transcript level of VEGF, but not HIF-1α. However, blocking miR-21 by its antagomir significantly reduced the expression of VEGF and HIF-1α. mRNA levels were expressed relative to HPRT and NG was set to 1. Mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM); n = 3–4. *p<0.01, **p<0.001 versus NG; ¶p = 0.001 versus high glucose (for VEGF); #p<0.05 versus high glucose, high glucose and miR-21 mimics (for HIF-1α); #p<0.05 versus high glucose or §p<0.001 versus high glucose and miR-21 mimics (for VEGF).