Small RNA tRF-31 Changes in Patients With Age-Related Cataract

June 23, 2026 updated by: Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Biphasic Dynamics of the tRNA-derived Small RNA tRF-31 Set the Lens Oxidative Survival Threshold by Restraining HIPK2-mediated Dual-track Lethality in Age-related Cataract

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the expression characteristics and clinical relevance of the tRF-31/HIPK2 signaling axis in adults over 18 years old with age-related cataract (ARC). The main questions it aims to answer are: Is there a correlation between the relative expression levels of tRF-31 and its target gene HIPK2 in the anterior lens capsule and the clinical severity (Emery-Little grading system) of age-related cataracts? Does oxidative stress in the anterior segment microenvironment have a potential bystander effect on the state of the corneal endothelium? Participants will:Undergo routine preoperative ophthalmologic examinations, including visual acuity tests, slit-lamp photography, and corneal endothelial cell counting. Undergo standard cataract surgery (phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation) as part of their regular medical care. Allow researchers to collect and analyze their anterior lens capsule tissue, which is routinely removed and typically discarded as medical waste during the standard continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) step of the surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

200

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • China
    • Zhejiang
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310009
        • Recruiting
        • Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of adult patients over 18 years of age who have been clinically diagnosed with age-related cataract (ARC) and are scheduled to undergo routine phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation at the Eye Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients older than 18 years. Clinically diagnosed with age-related cataract (ARC) and have clear surgical indications for routine phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Scheduled to undergo cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation. Completed routine preoperative corneal endothelial specular microscopy, providing objective data including cell density, coefficient of variation of cell area, and the proportion of hexagonal cells. Provided signed written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

History of ocular trauma, glaucoma, episodes of active uveitis, or previous intraocular surgery. Presence of severe systemic diseases rendering the patient unsuitable for surgery. Poor patient compliance or coexisting psychiatric disorders. Severe systemic metabolic syndromes (e.g., diabetes). Diagnosis of high myopia. Current participation in other clinical trials or likelihood of being lost to follow-up.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Correlation between relative expression of tRF-31 and cataract nuclear hardness (Emery-Little grading system)
Time Frame: Baseline (Preoperative, up to 1 month prior to surgery)
Baseline (Preoperative, up to 1 month prior to surgery)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 17, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 16, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 16, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 23, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 23, 2026

Last Verified

June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2026-0696

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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