Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39774722›Full record

ArticleHuman genetics2025

A genome-wide scan of non-coding RNAs and enhancers for refractive error and myopia.

Milly S Tedja, Joanna Swierkowska-Janc, Clair A Enthoven, Magda A Meester-Smoor, Pirro G Hysi, Janine F Felix, Cameron S Cowan, CREAM Consortium, Timothy J Cherry, Peter J van der Spek and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Human genetics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. IMI-Myopia Genetics Report.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Milly S TedjaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Joanna Swierkowska-JancDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Clair A EnthovenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Magda A Meester-SmoorDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Pirro G HysiDepartment of Ophthalmology, King's College London, London, UK.
Janine F FelixThe Generation R Study Group, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Cameron S CowanInstitute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
CREAM Consortium
Timothy J CherryCenter for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, USA.
Peter J van der SpekDepartment of Bioinformatics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Mohsen GhanbariDepartment of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Stefan J ErkelandDepartment of Immunology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Tahsin Stefan BarakatDepartment of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Caroline C W KlaverDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Virginie J M VerhoevenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. v.verhoeven@erasmusmc.nl.

Funding

Non-Coding Genetic Vulnerabilities in Human Photoreceptor Function and DiseaseR01EY028584 · NEI · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI CHERRY, TIMOTHY JOEL · 2019 to 2025
$4.2M
Optimizing Models of Non-Coding Genetic Risk in Age-Related Macular DegenerationR01EY033364 · NEI · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI TIMOTHY JOEL CHERRY · 2022 to 2026
$2.5M
EMBO Short-Term Fellowship 8529European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme 648268NEI NIH HHS R01 EY028584NEI NIH HHS R01 EY033364Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) 91617076Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) 91815655
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Refractive error (RE) and myopia are complex polygenic conditions with the majority of genome-wide associated genetic variants in non-exonic regions. Given this, and the onset during childhood, gene-regulation is expected to play an important role in its pathogenesis. This prompted us to explore beyond traditional gene finding approaches. We performed a genetic association study between variants in non-coding RNAs and enhancers, and RE and myopia. We obtained single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA (miRNA) genes, miRNA-binding sites, long non-coding RNAs genes (lncRNAs) and enhancers from publicly available databases: miRNASNPv2, PolymiRTS, VISTA Enhancer Browser, FANTOM5 and lncRNASNP2. We investigated whether SNPs overlapping these elements were associated with RE and myopia leveraged from a large GWAS meta-analysis (N = 160,420). With genetic risk scores (GRSs) per element, we investigated the joint effect of associated variants on RE, axial length (AL)/corneal radius (CR), and AL progression in an independent child cohort, the Generation R Study (N = 3638 children). We constructed a score for biological plausibility per SNP in highly confident miRNA-binding sites and enhancers in chromatin accessible regions. We found that SNPs in two miRNA genes, 14 enhancers and 81 lncRNA genes in chromatin accessible regions and 54 highly confident miRNA-binding sites, were in RE and myopia-associated loci. GRSs from SNPs in enhancers were significantly associated with RE, AL/CR and AL progression. GRSs from lncRNAs were significantly associated with all AL/CR and AL progression. GRSs from miRNAs were not associated with any ocular biometric measurement. GRSs from miRNA-binding sites showed suggestive but inconsistent significance. We prioritized candidate miRNA binding sites and candidate enhancers for future functional validation. Pathways of target and host genes of highly ranked variants included eye development (BMP4, MPPED2), neurogenesis (DDIT4, NTM), extracellular matrix (ANTXR2, BMP3), photoreceptor metabolism (DNAJB12), photoreceptor morphogenesis (CHDR1), neural signaling (VIPR2) and TGF-beta signaling (ANAPC16). This is the first large-scale study of non-coding RNAs and enhancers for RE and myopia. Enhancers and lncRNAs could be of large importance as they are associated with childhood myopia. We provide a confident blueprint for future functional validation by prioritizing candidate miRNA binding sites and candidate enhancers.

Indexed as

Enhancer Elements, GeneticMyopiaRefractive ErrorsRNA, Long NoncodingRNA, UntranslatedBinding SitesChildFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMaleMicroRNAsPolymorphism, Single NucleotideMicroRNAsRNA, Long NoncodingRNA, Untranslated

Identifiers

PMID39774722
PMCPMC11754329

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.