# Regulation of Ocular Angiogenesis by microRNAs

> **NIH NIH R01** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2020 · $342,000

## Abstract

Anti-VEGF therapy is the current mainstay for treating wet age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). The efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy is still limited, and some patients failed
to respond to the treatment. No drug is currently available for subretinal fibrosis associated with
AMD. Therefore, there is a great need for developing alternative or superior approaches to the
current anti-VEGF therapy to combat choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and subretinal fibrosis
in AMD. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells can
lead to fibrosis. However, the contribution of RPE EMT in AMD pathogenesis remains
undefined. MicroRNAs belong to a large group of noncoding RNAs which can regulate diverse
pathways in different cell types. The involvement of miRNAs in CNV, RPE EMT and fibrosis
remains unclear. This project focuses on elucidating the function and mechanism of miRNAs in
the context of complex pathological processes involved in AMD, including CNV, EMT of the
RPE cells and fibrosis. The contribution of EMT of RPE cells in AMD mouse models will be
examined by genetic lineage tracing. The organizing hypothesis of the proposal is that a single
miRNA, miR-24, can repress CNV, EMT of RPEs and fibrosis, therefore representing an
excellent “one drug/multiple targets” model for treating AMD. In addition, the contribution of EMT
of RPE cells in AMD pathogenesis will also be established. Aim I is to define the function of
miR-24 in ocular neovascularization, inflammation and fibrosis. Aim II is to determine the role of
miR-24-regulated EMT and fibrosis of RPE cells.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003288
- **Project number:** 5R01EY021862-08
- **Recipient organization:** TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
- **Principal Investigator:** Shusheng Wang
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $342,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2011-09-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003288

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003288, Regulation of Ocular Angiogenesis by microRNAs (5R01EY021862-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003288. Licensed CC0.

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