Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41225555›Full record

ArticleJournal of translational medicine2025

Retinal ALKBH5 inhibition induces myopia protection through selective regulation of ERK1/2 signaling.

Jiru Zhu, Yutong Xia, Xiang Li, Yingying Wen, Xuhong Zhang, Le Jin, Liyue Zhang, Ziyu Wang, Yanqing Li, Xin Yu and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of translational medicine, 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. Article
  4. 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

14 authors.

Jiru ZhuDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yutong XiaDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xiang LiDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yingying WenDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xuhong ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Le JinDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Liyue ZhangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Ziyu WangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Yanqing LiDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Xin YuDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Zhitong ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Jiayun GeDepartment of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Ye Shen *Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. idrshen@zju.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-4891-8801
Jianping Tong *Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. idrtong@zju.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82371084
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMyopia has reached epidemic proportions globally with limited therapeutic targets. This study elucidated the pivotal role of retinal epitranscriptomic regulation in myopia pathogenesis, aiming to identify novel therapeutic targets for myopia control.

methodsThe study enrolled 38 myopic patients scheduled for refractive surgery to analyze peripheral blood N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels. In parallel, we established a murine form-deprivation myopia (FDM) model to examine retinal m6A dynamics and Alkylation repair homolog protein 5 (ALKBH5) expression. Pharmacological interventions using the ALKBH5 inhibitor DDO-2728 and Extracellular signal-related kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) activator Ro67-7476 were administered intravitreally. To genetically validate the role of ALKBH5, ALKBH5-knockout (ALKBH5-KO) mice were subjected to the FDM model. Comprehensive assessments included refractive measurements, retinal structure analysis, and molecular profiling of inflammatory and extracellular matrix (ECM) markers. Statistical analyses employed Pearson's correlation for clinical data and ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc tests for experimental comparisons.

resultsClinical data revealed significant inverse correlations between blood m6A levels and myopia severity (refraction: r = 0.435, p < 0.01; axial length: r = -0.338, p < 0.05). FDM retinas exhibited progressive m6A reduction and specific upregulation of ALKBH5 in the ganglion cell layer (GCL), with no changes observed in other m6A regulators. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that intravitreal injection of the selective ALKBH5 inhibitor DDO-2728 (2.5 mM) effectively attenuated myopia progression, mitigated retinal thinning, suppressed inflammatory mediators, and modulated early ECM dysregulation through specific suppression of ERK1/2 hyperphosphorylation. Crucially, genetic ablation of ALKBH5 recapitulated the protective phenotype of the inhibitor, conferring significant resistance to myopia development and associated retinal pathology. Importantly, co-administration of the ERK1/2 activator Ro 67-7476 completely abolished DDO-2728's protective effects.

conclusionsPeripheral blood m6A reduction correlates with human myopia severity. Retinal ALKBH5 upregulation drives myopia progression through ERK1/2 hyperactivation. Both pharmacological inhibition and genetic deletion of ALKBH5 effectively protect against myopia, attenuate inflammatory responses, and mitigate ECM dysregulation, mechanistically linked to the suppression of ERK1/2 signaling. These findings collectively identify ALKBH5 as a novel therapeutic target and DDO-2728 as a promising strategy for myopia control.

Indexed as

AlkB Homolog 5, RNA DemethylaseMAP Kinase Signaling SystemMyopiaRetinaAdenosineAdultAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFemaleHumansMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutYoung AdultAdenosineALKBH5 protein, humanAlkB Homolog 5, RNA DemethylaseN-methyladenosineALKBH5DDO-2728ERK1/2 signalingM6AMyopia

Identifiers

PMID41225555
PMCPMC12613781

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.