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Mak HK, Yung JSY, Weinreb RN, Ng SH, Cao X, Ho TYC, Ng TK, Chu WK, Yung WH, Choy KW, Wang CC, Lee TL, Leung CKS. MicroRNA-19a-PTEN Axis Is Involved in the Developmental Decline of Axon Regenerative Capacity in Retinal Ganglion Cells. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2020; 21:251-263. [PMID: 32599451 PMCID: PMC7327411 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.05.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Irreversible blindness from glaucoma and optic neuropathies is attributed to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) losing the ability to regenerate axons. While several transcription factors and proteins have demonstrated enhancement of axon regeneration after optic nerve injury, mechanisms contributing to the age-related decline in axon regenerative capacity remain elusive. In this study, we show that microRNAs are differentially expressed during RGC development and identify microRNA-19a (miR-19a) as a heterochronic marker; developmental decline of miR-19a relieves suppression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a key regulator of axon regeneration, and serves as a temporal indicator of decreasing axon regenerative capacity. Intravitreal injection of miR-19a promotes axon regeneration after optic nerve crush in adult mice, and it increases axon extension in RGCs isolated from aged human donors. This study uncovers a previously unrecognized involvement of the miR-19a-PTEN axis in RGC axon regeneration, and it demonstrates therapeutic potential of microRNA-mediated restoration of axon regenerative capacity in optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather K Mak
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Jasmine S Y Yung
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Robert N Weinreb
- Hamilton Glaucoma Center, Shiley Eye Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shuk Han Ng
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Xu Cao
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Tracy Y C Ho
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Tsz Kin Ng
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Wai Kit Chu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Wing Ho Yung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC; Gerald Choa Neuroscience Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Kwong Wai Choy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Chi Chiu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
| | - Tin Lap Lee
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PRC
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