MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of mRNAs. However, the function of miRNAs is unclear in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pterygium, a disease characterized by abnormal fibrovascular proliferation and invasion on the ocular surface. Since MiR-3175 is upregulated in pterygium tissues compared to normal conjunctival tissues, in this study, we investigated the role of MiR-3175 in EMT of a cultured human conjunctival epithelium cell line (CCL) and further validated the findings in pterygium tissues from patients. Our study demonstrates that MiR-3175 promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of CCL cells by directly inhibiting Smad7. In conclusion, our data suggested that the MiR-3175-Smad7 axis may play a critical role in pathogenesis and development of pterygium.
Keywords: EMT; MiR-3175; Smad7; conjunctiva; pterygium.
© 2019 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.