title: TUG1 promotes lens epithelial cell apoptosis by regulating miR-421/caspase-3 axis in age-related cataract.
abstract: Age-related cataract is among the most common chronic disorders of ageing and the apoptosis of lens epithelial cells contributes to non-congenital cataract development. We amid to explore the role of TUG1 and miR-421 in the age-related cataract.
  
  
  
  The expression level of TUG1, miR-421 and caspase-3 were detected by RT-qPCR. The apoptotic-related protein, caspase-3, Bax and blc-2 were analyzed by western blot. We performed ultraviolet (UV) irradiation to induce SAR01/04 cell apoptosis which was analyzed by flow cytometry. RIP pull-down and luciferase reporter assay were used to verified the combination and regulating among TUG1, miR-421 and caspase-3.
  
  
  
  Here, we observed that the expression level of TUG1 and caspase-3 in the anterior lens capsules of age-related cataract were significantly higher and miR-421 was significantly lower than that in the normal anterior lens capsules. The apoptosis-related protein, caspase-3, Bax and blc-2 were abnormal expression in the anterior lens capsules of age-related cataract tissue. Our data showed that the expression level of TUG1 and caspase-3 and cell apoptosis rate in SAR01/04 cells treated with UV irradiation was remarkably higher than that in the control. TUG1 negatively regulated miR-421 expression and promoted UV irradiation-induced SAR01/04 cell apoptosis. However, miR-421 inhibitor and pcDNA-caspase-3 could reverse the action of the SRA01/04 cell apoptosis by si-TUG1, which suggested TUG1 promoted UV irradiation-induced apoptosis through downregulating miR-421 expression. Furthermore, this study confirmed TUG1 could been in combination with miR-421, and TUG1 and caspase-3 were both a directly target of miR-421.
  
  
  
  TUG1 modulated lens epithelial cell apoptosis through miR-421/caspase-3 axis. These findings will offer a novel insight into the pathogenesis of cataract.
authors.affiliation: The first Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 shizi street, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China; Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 270 Xueyuan Xi Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Guoxing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 270 Xueyuan Xi Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Huiyang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: The first Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 shizi street, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The first Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 shizi street, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China.
authors.forename: Weihua
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, 270 Xueyuan Xi Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325027, China.
authors.forename: Kaihui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.affiliation: The first Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 shizi street, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215006, China. Electronic address: lupeirong@suda.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Peirong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002386:Cataract / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494826:BAX protein, human; D005819:Genetic Markers; C547665:MIRN421 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C000598536:TUG1 long noncoding RNA, human; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D053148:Caspase 3
keywords: Age-related cataract; Caspase-3; Lens epithelial cell; MiR-421; TUG1