Correlation of MicroRNA-145 Levels and Clinical Severity of Pterygia

Purpose: MicroRNA-145 (miR-145) has known anti-tumor properties and has been reported to be involved in regulating corneal epithelium differentiation. The exact role of miR-145 in ocular tissue remains unclear. In this study, we evaluate the effect of miR-145 expression levels on pterygium properties. Setting: Ophthalmology department of a tertiary medical center. Design: Case series study. Methods: Information regarding patient age, pterygium recurrence and pterygium severity (extension [E], vascularity [V] and thickness [T]) were gathered from records. Expression levels of miR-145 were obtained through examination of excised pterygium tissue. Correlations between age, pterygium classification, and miR-145 levels were evaluated. Results: This study evaluated 253 patients (mean age 54.1 +/- 10.8 years). As pterygium severity increased, miR-145 levels decreased. Negative correlations were also found between miR-145 expression levels and pterygium extension (E) and vascularity (V). Thickness (T) had a weak negative correlation. There was only a mild negative correlation between patient age and miR-145 levels, which was only seen in patients with primary pterygium (not recurrent ones). Additionally, miR-145 expression was significantly higher in primary samples than in recurrent ones. Conclusions: We demonstrated an association between miR-145 and pterygium characteristics, consistent with its known tumor suppression effect. Because the management of pterygium is often difficult, we suggest that miR-145 should be further studied as a potential treatment.