title: Downregulation of miR-18a induces CTGF and promotes proliferation and migration of sodium hyaluronate treated human corneal epithelial cells.
abstract: Properly controlled corneal epithelial wound healing is critical for health of cornea, which involves cell proliferation, migration, anchoring and differentiation. Sodium hyaluronate (SH) has been proven to exert beneficial pharmacological effect on corneal wound healing, though the underlying mechanism remained open to investigation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded RNAs that could bind to 3'UTR of mRNAs of target genes. The multi-target regulation of miRNAs may favor treatment of corneal wound given the complicated processes implicated in the healing process, which has inspired initiatives to develop miRNA therapy in corneal wound healing. In this light, we used miRNAs profiling to detect whether miRNAs are also implicated in the mechanism underlying the stimulatory effect of SH on corneal epithelial wound healing. We found miR-18a was most susceptible to SH treatment, the target prediction of which were enriched in a bunch of pathways implicated in corneal wound healing. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was found to be overrepresented in most significant enriched pathways and was experimentally confirmed as a bona fide target of miR-18a, which modulated cell migration and proliferation of human corneal epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong Province, China; Department of Ophthalmology& Optometry, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha 410005, Hunan Province,China.
authors.forename: Yingzhuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, Guangdong Province, China. Electronic address: xiaohelu218@139.com.
authors.forename: Xiaohe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology& Optometry, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Changsha 410005, Hunan Province,China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000089982:ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6; D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D000070416:Antagomirs / Q000494:pharmacology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000166:cytology*; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000089982:ADP-Ribosylation Factor 6; D000070416:Antagomirs; C581632:MIRN18 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D020727:ADP-Ribosylation Factors
keywords: CTGF; Corneal epithelial wound healing; Sodium hyaluronate; miR-18a