Transcriptome Analysis of Pterygium and Pinguecula Reveals Genomic Instability Associated with Chronic Inflammation

SUAREZ MARÍA F; BANERJEE S; ECHENIQUE J; LOPEZ J; MEDINA E; IROS M; FINI E; HM SERRA.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY PRESERVATION INTERNATIONAL-MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021

1422-0067

ackground: Damage due to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun is implicated in the development of two proliferative lesions of the ocular surface: pterygium and pinguecula. In this study, RNA-sequencing technology was used to investigate underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods: Pterygium and pinguecula specimens were collected at the time of surgical removal, along with adjacent specimens of healthy conjunctiva. RNA was extracted and sequenced. Data from individual samples were grouped as 1) healthy conjunctiva, 2) pterygia-highly exposed to UV (pterygia-E), 3) pterygia-normally exposed (pterygia-NE) and 4) pinguecula. Pairwise comparison was made of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Randomly selected DEGs were validated in independent tissue specimens by RT-PCR. Gene sets were further analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), and by assembly of cell type, tissue differentiation and pathological process markers. Results: Transcripts from 18,630 genes were identified. Pterygiu