Editorial: Non-coding RNAs in ophthalmic diseases

Abstract

With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technology and bioinformatics, a growing number of studies revealed the key roles played by noncoding RNAs in the pathogenesis of ophthalmic diseases. In the current Research Topic, the authors discussed the roles and mechanisms of a variety of non-coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and tRNA-related fragments (tRFs). A range of ophthalmic diseases was discussed in this Research Topic such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), retinoblastoma (RB), vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), uveitis, and thyroidassociated ophthalmopathy (TAO). Overall, the Research Topic shed light on the importance of non-coding RNAs in a variety of pathogenesis in ophthalmic diseases. These original and review articles indicated that non-coding RNAs, including miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs, and tRFs, may play important roles in regulating cellular processes including gene regulation, pro-angiogenesis, and inflammation, and contribute to the initiation and development of ophthalmic diseases. Further studies should be carried out to deeply understand the specific roles and mechanisms of the dysregulated non-coding RNAs in these ocular diseases. To clarify the molecular regulatory mechanisms, it is also suggested to combine transcriptomics with genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics for multiomics analysis.