AIM:ToscreenmicroRNAs（miRNAs）andsetuptargetmiRNAsinpterygium.METHODS:PrimaryfibroblastswereisolatedfrompterygiumandTenon’scapsuleandcultured.ImmunocytochemicalanalysisandWesternblottingwereperformedtoconfirmthecultureoffibroblasts.Inall,1733miRNAswerescreenedinthefirststepbyusingGeneChip?miRNA3.0Array.SpecificmiRNAsinvolvedinthepathogenesisofpterygiumweresubsequentlydeterminedusingthefollowingcriteria:1)highreproducibilityinarepetitivetest;2)baselogvalueof>7.0forbothcontrolandpterygialfibroblasts;and3)logratioof>1.0betweenpterygialfibroblastsandcontrolfibroblasts.RESULTS:Primaryscreeningshowedthat887/1733miRNAswereup-regulatedand846/1733miRNAsweredown-regulatedinpterygialfibroblastscomparedwiththoseincontrolfibroblasts.Ofthe1733miRNAsscreened,4miRNAs,namely,miRNA-143a-3p,miRNA-181a-2-3p,miRNA-377-5pandmiRNA-411a-5p,mettheabove-mentionedcriteria.Primaryscreeningshowedthatthese4miRNAswereup-regulatedinpterygialfibroblastscomparedwithcontrolfibroblastsandthatmiRNA-143a-3phadthehighestmeanratiocomparedwiththemiRNAsincontrolfibroblasts.CONCLUSION:miRNA-143a-3p,miRNA-181a-2-3p,miRNA-377-5pandmiRNA-411a-5pareup-regulatedinpterygialfibroblastscomparedwithcontrolfibroblasts,suggestingtheirinvolvementinthepathogenesisofpterygium.
