For lncRNA, circRNA and mRNA sequencing of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients and normal people

We identified the differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs/circRNAs of the case group and the control group through high-throughput sequencing technology, performed a functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes, and used protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis to identify the hub genes. A novel ceRNA network was successfully established, and the network components may serve as promising diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy in the future. Orbital adipose/connective tissue was obtained from 3 thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients with no history of thyroid disease, inflammatory disease, autoimmune disease, or orbital disease. All the thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy patients underwent orbital decompression for proptosis correction, and control subjects underwent cosmetic upper and lower blepharoplasty. The 3 control groups were obtained from the tissue remains of healthy people after plastic surgery.