Expression Analysis of the Circular RNA Molecules in the Human Retinal Cells Treated with Homocysteine

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To characterize the global profile of circular RNAs (circRNAs) and their differential expression levels in homocysteine (Hcy)-treated ARPE-19 cells, a line of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells.

Materials and Methods: We treated ARPE-19 cells with and without Hcy to investigate the influence of Hcy on circRNA expression levels using dedicated human circRNA microarrays.

Results: A total of 12,233 circRNAs were identified out of them 54 were differentially expressed (17 were down-regulated, and 37 were up-regulated) with a fold change >2.0 (p < 0.05) in Hcy-treated versus untreated cells.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report profiling circRNAs in human RPE cells post-Hcy treatment mimicking hyperhomocysteinemic (HHcy) conditions that negatively affect retinal biology and vision. These findings are of potential clinical significance as they will help understand Hcy metabolism and HHcy-mediated diseases and identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for eye diseases that are caused by elevated Hcy concentrations.

KEYWORDS:

• CircRNA
• epigenetics
• eye diseases
• inflammation
• retina

Acknowledgments

Members of the laboratory are gratefully acknowledged for their continuous support and encouragement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants (HL-74815, HL-107640, HL-139047, and AR071789) from the National Institute of Health (NIH).