Nuo Wang1, Shi-Ying Hou2, Xin Qi2, Mi Deng2, Jia-Min Cao1, Bo-Ding Tong2, Wei Xiong1. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 2. Department of Ophthalmology, Hunan Clinical Research Center of Ophthalmic Disease, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The activation of orbital fibroblasts, the prime targets in thyroid eye disease, is central to its underlying pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblast activation from the perspective of non-coding RNA regulation. METHODS: Immunofluorescence (IF) staining was applied to evaluate the fibrotic changes in target cells. Cell proliferation were evaluated by EDU and colony formation assays. Collagen I concentration was determined by ELISA assay. Human microarray analysis was performed on three thyroid eye disease and 3 healthy control orbital tissue samples. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis showed that cell adhesion signaling factors were differentially expressed in thyroid eye disease tissues, including I-CAM-1, I-CAM-4, V-CAM, and CD44, which were all upregulated in diseased orbital tissues. LncRNA LPAL2 level was also upregulated in orbital tissues and positively correlated with I-CAM-1 and I-CAM-4 expression. Stimulation of the thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblasts by TGF-β1 significantly increased the expression of I-CAM-1, I-CAM-4, and LPAL2. Knockdown of LPAL2 in orbital fibroblasts inhibited TGF-β1-induced increases in cell adhesion factor levels and orbital fibroblast activation. Microarray profiling was performed on thyroid eye disease and normal orbital tissues to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and miR-1287-5p was remarkably reduced within diseased orbital samples. miR-1287-5p was directly bound to EGFR 3'UTR and LPAL2 and LPAL2 modulated EGFR/AKT signaling through targeting miR-1287-5p. CONCLUSIONS: The LPAL2/miR-1287-5p axis modulated TGF-β1-induced increases in cell adhesion factor levels and thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblast activation through EGFR/AKT signaling.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The activation of orbital fibroblasts, the prime targets in thyroid eye disease, is central to its underlying pathogenesis. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblast activation from the perspective of non-coding RNA regulation. METHODS: Immunofluorescence (IF) staining was applied to evaluate the fibrotic changes in target cells. Cell proliferation were evaluated by EDU and colony formation assays. Collagen I concentration was determined by ELISA assay. Human microarray analysis was performed on three thyroid eye disease and 3 healthy control orbital tissue samples. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis showed that cell adhesion signaling factors were differentially expressed in thyroid eye disease tissues, including I-CAM-1, I-CAM-4, V-CAM, and CD44, which were all upregulated in diseased orbital tissues. LncRNA LPAL2 level was also upregulated in orbital tissues and positively correlated with I-CAM-1 and I-CAM-4 expression. Stimulation of the thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblasts by TGF-β1 significantly increased the expression of I-CAM-1, I-CAM-4, and LPAL2. Knockdown of LPAL2 in orbital fibroblasts inhibited TGF-β1-induced increases in cell adhesion factor levels and orbital fibroblast activation. Microarray profiling was performed on thyroid eye disease and normal orbital tissues to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and miR-1287-5p was remarkably reduced within diseased orbital samples. miR-1287-5p was directly bound to EGFR 3'UTR and LPAL2 and LPAL2 modulated EGFR/AKT signaling through targeting miR-1287-5p. CONCLUSIONS: The LPAL2/miR-1287-5p axis modulated TGF-β1-induced increases in cell adhesion factor levels and thyroid eye disease orbital fibroblast activation through EGFR/AKT signaling.