Role of N6-methyladenosine-related lncRnas in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma.

To explore the role of lncRNA mA methylation modification in aqueous humour (AH) of patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PXG). Patients with open-angle PXG under surgery from June 2021 to December 2021 were selected. Age- and gender-matched patients with age-related cataract (ARC) were chosen as control. Patients underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations. 0.05-0.1 ml AH were extracted during surgery for MeRIP-Seq and RNA-Seq. Joint analysis was used to screen lncRNAs with differential mA methylation modification and expression. Online software tools were used to draw lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network (ceRNA). Expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs was confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR. A total of 4151 lncRNAs and 4386 associated mA methylation modified peaks were identified in the PXG group. Similarly, 2490 lncRNAs and 2595 associated mA methylation modified peaks were detected in the control. Compared to the ARC group, the PXG group had 234 hypermethylated and 402 hypomethylated mA peaks, with statistically significant differences (| Fold Change (FC) |≥2,  < 0.05). Bioinformatic analysis revealed that these differentially methylated lncRNA enriched in extracellular matrix formation, tight adhesion, TGF- β signalling pathway, AMPK signalling pathway, and MAPK signalling pathway. Joint analysis identified 10 lncRNAs with differential mA methylation and expression simultaneously. Among them, the expression of ENST000000485383 and ROCK1 were confirmed downregulated in the PXG group by RT-qPCR. mA methylation modification may affect the expression of lncRNA and participate in the pathogenesis of PXG through the ceRNA network. ENST000000485383-hsa miR592-ROCK1 May be a potential target pathway for further investigation in PXG mA methylation.