Based on target gene prediction, several target genes are highly associated with TAO pathogenesis, including IGF-1R, IL-16 and IL-17A, which are associated with tRF5-GluTTC (Khong et al., 2016; Smith and Janssen, 2019; Xu et al., 2020), CD34, which is associated with tRF5-GluCTC (Wu et al., 2016), and IL-6R, which is associated with tRF1-ArgTCG (Chen et al., 2005). This evidence concerns the gene IL17A and thromboangiitis obliterans.