NEAT1 Deficiency Promotes Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing by Activating cAMP Signaling Pathway.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT1 in corneal epithelial wound healing in mice. Methods: The central corneal epithelium of wild-type (WT), MALAT1 knockout (M-KO), NEAT1 knockout (N-KO), and NEAT1 knockdown (N-KD) mice was scraped to evaluate corneal epithelial and nerve regeneration rates. RNA sequencing of the corneal epithelium from WT and N-KO mice was performed 24 hours after debridement to determine the role of NEAT1. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ELISA were used to confirm the bioinformatic analysis. The effects of the cAMP signaling pathway were evaluated in N-KO and N-KD mice using SQ22536, an adenylate cyclase inhibitor. Results: Central corneal epithelial debridement in N-KO mice significantly promoted epithelial and nerve regeneration rates while suppressing inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, the expression of Atp1a2, Ppp1r1b, Calm4, and Cngb1, which are key components of the cAMP signaling pathway, was upregulated in N-KO mice, indicative of its activation. Furthermore, the cAMP pathway inhibitor SQ22536 reversed the accelerated corneal epithelial wound healing in both N-KO and N-KD mice. Conclusions: NEAT1 deficiency contributes to epithelial repair during corneal wound healing by activating the cAMP signaling pathway, thereby highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy for corneal epithelial diseases.