title: Expression of lens-related microRNAs in transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the expression of lens-related microRNAs (miRNAs) in the central epithelium of transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lens-related miRNAs were retrieved from PubMed database. The expression levels of these miRNAs in transparent infant lenses and congenital cataract were determined by stem-loop reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). miRanda algorithm was used to predict the target genes of these differentially expressed miRNAs. The target mRNA was validated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six lens-related miRNAs were retrieved from screening PubMed database. The most abundant miRNA in transparent infant lenses according to stem-loop RT-PCR was miR-184. miR-182 was up-regulated in congenital cataract. Contrarily, miR-204 and miR-124 was down-regulated. miR-204 exhibited a more significant decrease in expression than miR-124. In addition, Meis2 was predicted to be the target of miR-204 using miRanda algorithm. miR-204 mimic/antagomir transfection experiments suggested the negative correlation between the expression of miR-204 and Meis2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression levels of miR-182, miR-204 and miR-124 differ between the central epithelium of transparent infant lens and congenital cataract, suggesting their involvement in the pathogenesis of congenital cataract. miR-204 may actviasilencing Meis2 to regulate lens development and congenital cataract formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Rui
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Ningxia Eye Hospital, People Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (First Affiliated Hospital of Northwest University for Nationalities), Yinchuan 750001, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Basic Research Center, Affiliated Shaanxi Provincial Tumor Hospital, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pei
keywords: Meis2; congenital cataract; lens-related miRNAs; miR-204