MicroRNA in Ophthalmology

The article provides brief information on the history of microRNA studies. Today, their role in human pathology is regarded as key regulators of the expression of genes and the proteins encoded by them: miRNA molecules perform important physiological functions in cells and tissues of various organs. The specific mechanisms of their participation in the pathological process are insufficiently known. MicroRNAs were the first to be studied in patients with spinal muscular atrophy and leukemia. Publications devoted to the study of miRNAs and their role in the life of the eye appeared in 2002. Initially, miRNAs were studied in the tissues of the animals’ eyes (mice and zebras), and later the role of miRNAs of retinal pigment epithelium in inflammatory changes was studied in the experiment. The first information on the searches and isolation of microRNAs, their quantitative characterization in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, autoimmune uveitis was analyzed. Encouraging results were obtained and the prospects of such studies in revealing the pathogenesis and the possibility of targeted treatment. Preliminary judgments were made about the role of miRNAs in the formation of various clinical forms of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (endocrine ophthalmopathy), which also gives hope for the emergence of targeted therapy for this disease. More publications have been devoted to the importance of miRNAs in the development of primary malignant intraocular tumors (retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma). Considerable attention is paid to retinoblastoma: the results of a study of various miRNAs as biomarkers of this tumor for early diagnosis with final access to targeted therapy, both in case of local lesion and in conditions of its metastasis, are presented. Most studies are limited to the study of miRNAs in tumor tissues. Over the past 5 years, a number of studies have been performed to highlight the spectrum of circulating miRNAs that have potential diagnostic value for early detection of metastases of uveal melanoma. The number of observations or experiments in the analyzed works is small, the studies are exploratory in nature and the publications all end almost with the phrase: “Further research is required”.