Construction of a competing endogenous RNA regulatory network in pterygium and role of hsa_circ_0081682 in fibroblast proliferation, migration, and apoptosis

Pterygium is a fibrovascular growth associated with chronic inflammation, tissue remodeling, and angiogenesis, which invades the cornea. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as pivotal role in many diseases, but their role in pterygium remains unclear. We performed circRNA and miRNA expression profiling on pterygium and conjunctival tissues, then the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was constructed. Bioinformatics was used to predict downstream pathways. Pterygium fibroblasts were used for experiments assessing proliferation (CCK8, EdU), migration (wound healing, transwell), and apoptosis (AnnexinV-FITC/PI). We identified 162 differentially expressed circRNAs and 96 miRNAs. Key pathways involved in pterygium pathogenesis, including focal adhesion and PI3K-Akt signaling, were predicted. Hsa_circ_0081862 was downregulated in pterygium tissues and fibroblasts, inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis. This research constructed a ceRNA network and identified hsa_circ_0081682 as the potential diagnostic marker for pterygium. This research contributes to the understanding of biochemical basis of pterygium, which may facilitate the development of targeted strategies for its management and prevention.