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Identification of aberrantly expressed circular RNAs in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction in mice
Ya-Nan Sun1, Ban Liu2, Jia-Jian Wang1
1Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200031, China.
Insights
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) show altered expression in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction. These circRNAs, including circLDB1, are potential biomarkers for diagnosing vascular diseases.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Hyperlipidemia causes retinal vascular dysfunction, a complex pathological process.
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are key regulators in biological processes and disease.
- The role of circRNAs in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression patterns of circRNAs in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction.
- To identify potential circRNA biomarkers for hyperlipidemia-related vascular diseases.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a murine model of hyperlipidemia.
- Employed circRNA microarrays to identify differentially expressed circRNAs.
- Performed Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analyses.
Main Results:
- Identified 317 differentially expressed circRNAs in hyperlipidemic retinas compared to normolipidemic retinas.
- GO analysis revealed host genes involved in cell differentiation, cytoplasm, and protein binding.
- Pathway analysis highlighted enrichment in focal adhesion signaling.
- circLDB1 was upregulated in serum of coronary artery disease patients and aqueous humor of age-related macular degeneration patients.
- circLDB1 influenced endothelial cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis in vitro.
Conclusions:
- circRNAs are significantly dysregulated in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction.
- circLDB1 demonstrates potential as a diagnostic biomarker for vascular diseases.
- circRNAs represent promising targets for predicting and diagnosing hyperlipidemia-induced vascular diseases.
Abstract:
Hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction is a complex pathological process. circRNAs are important regulators of biological processes and disease progression. However, the expression pattern of circRNAs in hyperlipidemia-induced retinal vascular dysfunction remains unclear. Herein, we used a murine model of hyperlipidemia and identified 317 differentially expressed circRNAs between hyperlipidemic retinas and normolipidemic retinas by circRNA microarrays. GO analysis indicated that the host genes of dysregulated circRNAs were targeted to cell differentiation (ontology: biological process), cytoplasm (ontology: cellular component), and protein binding (ontology: molecular function). Pathway analysis revealed that circRNAs-mediated network was mostly enriched in focal adhesion signaling. Notably, circLDB1 was significantly up-regulated in the serum of coronary artery disease patients and aqueous humor of age-related macular degeneration patients. circLDB1 regulated endothelial cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis in vitro. Thus, circRNAs are the promising targets for the prediction and diagnosis of hyperlipidemia-induced vascular diseases.
