Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a worldwide leading cause of blindness affecting individuals over 50 years old. The most aggressive form, wet AMD, is characterized by choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and inflammation involving microglia recruitment. By using a laser-induced CNV mouse model, we provide evidence for a key role played by miR-142-3p during CNV formation. MiR-142-3p was overexpressed in murine CNV lesions and its pharmacological inhibition decreased vascular and microglia densities by 46% and 30%, respectively. Consistently, miR-142-3p overexpression with mimics resulted in an increase of 136% and 126% of blood vessels and microglia recruitment. Interestingly, miR-142-3p expression was linked to the activation state of mouse microglia cells as determined by morphological analysis (cell solidity) through a computational method. In vitro, miR-142-3p overexpression in human microglia cells (HMC3) modulated microglia activation, as shown by CD68 levels. Interestingly, miR142-3p modulation also regulated the production of VEGF-A, the main pro-angiogenic factor. Together, these data strongly support the unprecedented importance of miR-142-3p-dependent vascular-inflammation axis during CNV progression, through microglia activation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 12359-12377 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Aging |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 May 2021 |
Keywords
- miR-142-3p
- age-related macular degeneration
- angiogenesis
- inflammation
- microglia
- MACULAR DEGENERATION
- MICRORNA-142
- EXPRESSION
- REGULATOR
- KEY