Function of miR-146a in retinal pigment epithelial cells aging and age-related macular degeneration / 眼科新进展

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression level of miRNA-146a (miR-146a) in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells aging and age-related macular degeneration (AMD),and discuss its regulation mechanism of AMD by repressing VEGF-A.Methods The expressions of miR-146 and VEGF-A were examined by qRT-PCR in RPE cells in mice aged 2 months,8 months,12 months,18 months or 24 months,and in RPE cells from 75 years old AMD patients.The protein level of VEGF-A was also detected by Western Blotting.Finally,the effects of overexpression of miR-146a in APRE-19 cell line on expression of VEGF-A was checked.Results MiR-146 was up-regulated to 8 times or 24 times at 18 months or 24 months aged mice,and the expression of VEGFA was down-regulated in aging RPE from 1.5 times to 0.8 times.However,the expression of miR-146 decreased to 14.5 times and VEGF-A increased in RPE cells of AMD.In cultured cells,overexpression of miR-146a inhibited the expression of VEGF-A.Conclusion Up-regulation of miR-146a in aging RPE cells and its down-regulation in AMD suggest a potential of miR-146a as molecular marker.MiR-146a overexpression inhibits the expression of VEGF-A,supporting a potential clinical treatment of miR-146 in AMD.