Abstract
Purpose :
Histone modifications are crucial epigenetic regulators in gene regulation during the process of corneal epithelial wound healing (CEWH). Among these modifications, histone arginine methylation, which is catalyzed by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), plays a pivotal role in various cellular processes. Within the PRMT family, PRMT5 is primarily responsible for mediating symmetric dimethylarginine modifications of histones. Nevertheless, its specific role in the context of CEWH has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we aim to explore the functional significance of PRMT5 in the process of CEWH.
Methods :
An Alger brush was employed for corneal epithelium debridement in mice. RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis were conducted to assess the mRNA and protein expression levels of PRMT5 during the process of CEWH, respectively. Human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) were transfected with siRNA molecules to specifically knock down PRMT5 expression using Lipofectamine RNAiMAX. The effects of PRMT5 on HCEC proliferation and migration were evaluated through MTS assays and a scratch wound-healing assay, respectively. Corneal epithelial-specific Prmt5 knockout mice were generated utilizing the Cre-lox system.
Results :
The expression of PRMT5 was markedly increased at both mRNA and protein levels during the process of CEWH. Deletion of Prmt5 significantly delayed in vivo CEWH. Moreover, the downregulation of PRMT5 suppressed both migration and proliferation of HCECs.
Conclusions :
PRMT5 enhances CEWH by promoting cell proliferation and migration. The PRMT5-mediated epigenetic regulatory mechanism deserves further investigation, as it holds the potential to serve as a target for enhancing the CEWH process.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.