Insight into the shared pathogenic link between COVID-19 and pterygium: a systematic bioinformatics analysis with experimental validation

Tianyi Zhou ^1,2, Xueyao Cai ³, Wenjun Shi ³

⁰Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 639 Zhi-Zao-Ju Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, 200011, China.

Hereditas +

|

July 14, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This study reveals common gene expression links between COVID-19 and pterygium, suggesting SARS-CoV-2 may impact ocular surface inflammation and pterygium development. Further research could improve prevention and treatment.

Area Of Science

Ophthalmology
Virology
Genetics
Immunology

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a global health threat, yet its ocular surface effects remain understudied.
Pterygium, a common ocular surface inflammatory condition, is linked to environmental factors.
Understanding potential links between viral infections and pterygium is crucial for public health.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate potential interactions between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pterygium.
To identify common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and regulatory networks between COVID-19 and pterygium.
To explore the role of immune response and pathological proliferation in shared pathogenic mechanisms.

Main Methods

Bioinformatic analysis comparing COVID-19 and pterygium gene expression databases.
Construction of multifactor regulatory and co-expression networks for common DEGs.
In vitro validation using human conjunctival fibroblasts (HConFs) and siRNA knockdown.
Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis.

Main Results

Five common DEGs (ERP27, SYTL5, STXBP6, EXTL1, DIO2) were identified and validated in vitro.
Three hub genes (SYTL5, STXBP6, ERP27) were pinpointed via protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis.
A regulatory network involving transcription factors and microRNA (hsa-miR-384) was elucidated.
Immune response and pathological proliferation were implicated in shared mechanisms.

Conclusions

A common link between SARS-CoV-2 and pterygium involves modulation of ocular surface gene profiles.
Shared pathogenic mechanisms include immune dysregulation and pathological proliferation.
This study offers novel insights into viral impact on pterygium susceptibility, potentially advancing clinical strategies.

Keywords:

COVID-19 Conjunctival fibroblasts Pterygium SARS-CoV-2

Related Concept Videos

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs

A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...