Long non-coding RNA associated-competing endogenous RNAs are induced by clusterin in retinal pigment epithelial cells

Age related macular degeneration is one of the most common causes of vision loss in the elderly. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve important roles in regulating gene expression by acting as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). However, the roles of specific lncRNAs and their associated ceRNA function induced by clusterin in cultured retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells remain to be fully elucidated. Based on high throughput sequencing data from RPE cells treated with or without clusterin, the present study identified differentially expressed mRNAs, lncRNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs). A lncRNA-mRNA-microRNA (miRNA) network (ceRNA network) was subsequently constructed based on the bioinformatic database miRanda and miRNA targets database miRTarBase. These results demonstrated the expression pattern of several lncRNAs, and a clear clusterin-associated ceRNA network in RPE cells, which included 75 lncRNAs and 32 miRNAs in RPE cells induced by clusterin. Collectively, the present study uncovered and characterized via bioinformatics the global properties of the ceRNA network in human RPE cells in response to clusterin. These results may aid in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of clusterin in age-related macular degeneration.