# Role of long noncoding RNAs in human ocular angiogenesis

> **NIH NIH R01** · TULANE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA · 2020 · $376,250

## Abstract

This project focuses on elucidating the function and mechanism of long noncoding RNAs
(lncRNAs) in human ocular angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenic therapies using antibodies to vascular
endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been approved by FDA for cancer treatment and are also
the first option of treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, in many
cases, the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy is still limited, and some patients failed to respond
to anti-VEGF treatment. A thorough mechanistic investigation of angiogenesis especially in
humans is warranted in order to develop novel and alternative therapeutic approaches. The long-
term goal for my laboratory is to decipher the mechanism of noncoding RNAs in ocular vascular
development and disease. LncRNAs represent a large group of long (typically >200nt) noncoding
RNAs with diverse biological functions, with their roles in angiogenesis still largely unclear. Our
genome-wide search has identified a group of human endothelial cell (EC)-enriched lncRNAs.
This proposal focuses on a novel primate-specific, EC-enriched lncRNA lncEGFL7OS, which is
located in the anti-sense strand of EGFL7/miR-126 gene. Based on our preliminary data and the
unique system we recently developed, we test the organizing hypothesis that lncEGFL7OS is
required for ocular angiogenesis in humans by regulating the transcription activity of EGFL7/miR-
126. Aim I is to examine the expression and regulation of lncEGFL7OS in ECs. Aim II is to
establish a critical role for lncEGFL7OS in human ocular angiogenesis using our unique human
angiogenesis system and CRISPR-based technologies. Aim III is to determine the functional
mechanism of lncEGFL7OS in angiogenesis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994934
- **Project number:** 5R01EY026069-05
- **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:** $376,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994934

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994934, Role of long noncoding RNAs in human ocular angiogenesis (5R01EY026069-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994934. Licensed CC0.

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