Supplementary Material for: Identification and validation of an aging-associated circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Introduction: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) is a leading cause of severe vision impairment in the elderly. Aging is one of the most pivotal underlying molecular mechanisms of NVAMD. Methods: In this study, we identified the potential aging-related genes involved in NVAMD. Considering that non-coding RNAs are vital regulators of NVAMD progression, we explored and constructed an aging-originated circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network of NVAMD. Differential expression of 23 aging-associated genes was identified based on sequencing data and the Human Aging Genomic Resources tool at a threshold of P <0.05, and log2|fold change| > 1. Results: We screened 12 microRNAs (miRNAs) using public datasets and the miRNet database. A total of 13 circRNAs were subsequently mined using the StarBase tool. Merging these 13 circRNAs, 12 miRNAs, and 15 genes together, we obtained 281 pairs of circRNA-miRNA and 30 pairs of miRNA-mRNA. Conclusion: We created an aging-related circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network, which could be a promising target for future AMD treatments.