https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2023.3663

Sodium hyaluronate promotes proliferation, autophagy, and migration of corneal epithelial cells by downregulating miR-18a in the course of corneal epithelial injury

Vol. 67 No. 2 (2023)
Submitted: 31 January 2023
Accepted: 27 May 2023
Published: 15 June 2023
miR-18a, sodium hyaluronate, corneal epithelial injury, proliferation, autophagy
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Authors

Yingzhuo Guo
gyz410005@hunnu.edu.cn
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9496-098X
Department of Optometry, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The first-affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Hua Wang
Department of Optometry, Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (The first-affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University), Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Corneal epithelium can resist the invasion of external pathogenic factors to protect the eye from external pathogens. Sodium hyaluronate (SH) has been confirmed to promote corneal epithelial wound healing. However, the mechanism by which SH protects against corneal epithelial injury (CEI) is not fully understood. CEI model mice were made by scratching the mouse corneal epithelium, and in vitro model of CEI were constructed via curettage of corneal epithelium or ultraviolet radiation. The pathologic structure and level of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression were confirmed by Hematoxylin and Eosin staining and immunohistochemistry. CTGF expression was detected by an IHC assay. The levels of CTGF, TGF-β, COLA1A, FN, LC3B, Beclin1, and P62 expression were monitored by RT-qPCR, ELISA, Western blotting or immunofluorescence staining. Cell proliferation was detected by the CCK-8 assay and EdU staining. Our results showed that SH could markedly upregulate CTGF expression and downregulate miR-18a expression in the CEI model mice. Additionally, SH could attenuate corneal epithelial tissue injury, and enhance the cell proliferation and autophagy pathways in the CEI model mice. Meanwhile, overexpression of miR-18a reversed the effect of SHs on cell proliferation and autophagy in CEI model mice. Moreover, our data showed that SH could induce the proliferation, autophagy, and migration of CEI model cells by downregulating miR-18a. Down-regulation of miR-18a plays a significant role in the ability of SH to promote corneal epithelial wound healing. Our results provide a theoretical basis for targeting miR-18a to promote corneal wound healing.

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Ethics Approval

Ethical approval was obtained for all experimental procedures by the Ethics Committee of the Hunan Provincial People's Hospital

Supporting Agencies

Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China, Ren Shu Foundation of Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, Research and Development Program in Key areas of Hunan Province, Department of Education of Hunan Province

How to Cite

Guo, Y., & Wang, H. (2023). Sodium hyaluronate promotes proliferation, autophagy, and migration of corneal epithelial cells by downregulating miR-18a in the course of corneal epithelial injury. European Journal of Histochemistry, 67(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2023.3663
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