Light-Responsive MicroRNAs in Human Retinal Tissue are Differentially Regulated by Distinct Wavelengths of Light

Here we employed retinal organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells as a tool to closely investigate light-regulated miRNAs in the human retina. We developed a device capable of photostimulating retinal organoids using various intensities and wavelengths of light. By utilizing this device, we photostimulated retinal organoids and identified 51 light-regulated miRNAs. Further analysis revealed that these miRNAs exhibited a rapid turnover and differential responses to distinct wavelengths of light. Our findings indicate that human retinal organoids represent a valuable tool for studying lightregulated miRNAs and open new avenues for research on novel light-regulated miRNA targets, the adaptation of the human retina to light, and the regulation of lightregulated circadian rhythms in humans.

Link to study: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.02.10.528054v1