RT Journal Article
A1 CAO, Di
A1 Ng, Tsz Kin
A1 Teng, Yufei
A1 Yip, Wong Ying
A1 Young, Alvin
A1 Pang, Chi Pui Calvin
A1 Jhanji, Vishal
T1 Role of microRNA-145 in pterygium cell apoptosis
JF Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
JO Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci.
YR 2016
VO 57
IS 12
SP 4928
OP 4928
SN 1552-5783
AB    Downregulation of microRNA-145 (miRNA-145) has been correlated with increased severity of pterygium. We hypothesized that forced expression of miRNA-145 could attenuate pterygium growth.    Ectopic expression of miRNA-145 in primary pterygium cells was achieved by transfection of miRNA-145 mimics. Cell properties of miRNA-145-transfected pterygium cells were analyzed by MTT assay, migration assay and flow cytometry. The expression of miRNA-145-related targets, mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) and p53, was determined by flow cytometry and immunoblotting.    Pterygium cells transfected with miRNA-145 mimics showed lower cell viability (5.71 folds, p<0.001) and retarded migration (71.78% vs 82.10%, p<0.05), compared to those transfected with scramble control. Moreover, the proportion of sub-G1 phase in miRNA-145-transfected cells (40.9%) was higher than that in scramble control (7.32%, p < 0.05). Flow cytometry and immunoblotting analyses confirmed that MDM2 expression was reduced in miRNA-145-transfected pterygium cells compared to scramble control. In contrast, the expression of p53, which is negatively regulated by MDM2, was increased after miRNA-145 transfection.    This study demonstrated that ectopic expression miRNA-145 reduces pterygium cell viability and migration as well as induce cell apoptosis. MDM2 was downregulated, whereas p53 was upregulated by miRNA-145.. Our results suggest that overexpression of miRNA-145 in pterygium cells could be a potential therapeutic strategy for pterygium treatment through MDM2/p53-induced apoptotic pathway.  This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016. 
RD 1/24/2021