Abstract
The present study aimed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) involved in regulating retinal neovascularization and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). A total of 80 healthy C57BL/6 neonatal mice were randomly divided into the oxygen‑induced retinopathy (OIR) group (n=40), in which 7‑day‑old mice were maintained in 75% oxygen conditions for 5 days, or the control group (n=40). Following collection of retinal tissue, retinal angiography and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining were performed. Total RNA was also extracted from retinal tissue, and miRNA microarrays and reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‑qPCR) were performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs in the two groups. Retinal angiography and H&E staining revealed damage to retinas in the OIR group. Compared with the control group, 67 miRNAs were differentially expressed in the OIR group, of which 34 were upregulated and 33 were downregulated. Of these differentially expressed miRNAs, 32 exhibited a fold change ≥2, of which 21 were upregulated and 11 were downregulated. The results of RT‑qPCR for miR‑130a‑3p and miR‑5107‑5p were in accordance with those of the miRNA microarray. The newly identified miRNAs may be important in the development of ROP, and may provide a basis for future research into the mechanisms of ROP.