Identification of tRNA-derived Fragments and their Potential Roles in Diabetic Cataract Rats

Abstract

Aim: To illustrate the expression profile of transfer RNA-derived fragments and reveal their putative role in the pathogenesis of diabetic cataract (DC) rats. Materials & methods: Small RNA sequencing was conducted in the lens epithelium of rats lens. The data were validated by quantitative real-time PCR, and bioinformatic analysis was performed to explore the roles of the fragments in DC pathogenesis. Results: A total of 213 differentially expressed tRNA-related fragments were identified, in which 111 were upregulated and 102 were downregulated in DC rats. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that several associated pathways might participate in the development of DC rats. Conclusion: tRNA-derived fragments may be involved in the pathogenesis of DC rats.

Keywords::

• diabetic cataract
• noncoding RNAs
• tiRNAs
• transfer RNA-derived fragments
• tRFs

Author contributions

X Han performed the experiments, analyzed the data and wrote original draft article. C Lei collected samples and performed qPCR. Y Lu designed the experiment. J Yang and D Li designed the experiments and revised the article. D Li ([email protected]) and J Yang ([email protected]) are co-corresponding authors of this work. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was funded by a grant from General Fund of Shanghai Health Bureau (grant 201740033 to J Yang). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from General Fund of Shanghai Health Bureau (grant 201740033 to J Yang). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.