Genome-wide analysis of miRNAs suggests a differential microRNAs signature associated with Normal and Diabetic limbal human corneas

Small non-coding RNAs, in particular microRNAs (miRNAs), regulate fine-tuning of gene expression and can impact a wide range of biological processes. Using deep sequencing analysis, we investigated miRNA expression profiles in central and limbal regions of normal and diabetic human corneas. We identified differentially expressed miRNAs in limbus vs. central cornea in normal and diabetic (DM) corneas including both type I (T1DM/IDDM) and type II (T2DM/NIDDM). Some miRNAs such as miR-10b that was upregulated in limbus vs. central corneas and in diabetic vs. normal limbus also showed significant increase in T1DM vs. T2DM limbus To study differntial expresssion profile of miRNAs in Normal and diabetic limbus and central corneas.

小型非编码RNA（small non-coding RNAs），尤其是微小RNA（microRNAs, miRNAs），可对基因表达实施精细调控，并参与并影响诸多生物学过程。本研究通过深度测序分析，对正常与糖尿病患者人眼角膜中央区域及角膜缘区域的miRNA表达谱展开研究。我们在正常及糖尿病（DM）角膜中，分别鉴定出角膜缘区与中央角膜区之间的差异表达miRNA，其中糖尿病涵盖1型糖尿病（T1DM/IDDM）与2型糖尿病（T2DM/NIDDM）两种类型。部分miRNA（如在角膜缘区较中央角膜区、糖尿病较正常角膜缘区均表达上调的miR-10b），在1型糖尿病与2型糖尿病角膜缘区的对比中同样呈现显著表达上调。本研究旨在探究正常与糖尿病患者角膜缘区及中央角膜区的miRNA差异表达谱。