MicroRNA-29a May Influence Myopia Development by Regulating Collagen I

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The aim of this study was to characterize the regulatory role of microRNA-29a (miR-29a) in myopia, providing support for potential biomarkers and new therapeutic targets of myopia in humans.

Methods

The miR-29a expression level was detected in the aqueous humor and peripheral blood plasma of 21 high myopic patients and eight cataract control patients using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. iTRAQ analysis of proteomes was conducted to show the regulatory effect of miR-29a on human scleral fibroblasts (SFs) cultured in vitro. We also assessed proliferation, migration, and collagen I synthesis in SF cells, mediated by miR-29a.

Results

MiR-29a expression was significantly higher in the aqueous humor of highly myopic patients than in the cataract control patients (fold change: 4.861, p = 0.001). miR-29a inhibited the synthesis of type I collagen in human SF cells and enhanced cell migration, but had no significant effect on cell proliferation.

Conclusion

MiR-29a was highly expressed in aqueous humor of myopia patients and inhibited the synthesis of type I collagen in human SF cells in vivo, thereby it may play an important role in myopia development.

KEYWORDS:

• High myopia
• microRNA-29a
• biomarker
• type I collagen
• scleral fibroblasts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai [17DZ2260100].