The objective of this study is to identify the differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in tree shrew fungal keratitis and analyze the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network and its bioinformatics, thus providing clues for the immune mechanism of fungal keratitis as well as the potential targets for antifungal therapy. Fusarium solani solution was microinjected into the corneal stroma of tree shrew to induce the occurrence of fungal keratitis. After 7, 14 and 30 days of infection, the expression levels of miRNAs and mRNAs in cornea tissues of tree shrews were detected through high-throughput RNA sequencing technology. The corneas of non-infected eyes were taken as control. The intersection of the differentially expressed mRNAs and the targeted genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were selected to construct the miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks．Real-time PCR was used to verify the validity of sequencing. Finally, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed.The results showed that at day 7, 14 and 30 of infection, 78, 56 and 41 mRNAs and 70, 63 and 20 miRNAs were differentially expressed, respectively. Among them, 29 mRNAs and 14 miRNAs were differentially expressed at day 7, 14 and 30 of infection. Has-miR-214-3p and Has-miR-149-5p were the key nodes in the regulatory network. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNA targeted genes were mainly involved in immune response and inflammatory response, including Toll-like receptor, NOD-like receptor, NF-kB and TNF signaling pathways.Our finding clarified that there were differentially expressed gene profiles of miRNA-mRNA in the fungal keratitis of tree shrews, and Has-miR-214-3p and Has-miR-149-5p were the related nodes which could be studied as potential biomarkers for the occurrence and prognosis evaluation of fungal keratitis.

tree shrews; fungal keratitis; microRNA; gene regulatory network