Circular RNA expression profile and competing endogenous RNA regulatory network in preeclampsia

Detection and assessment of immune and stromal related risk genes to predict preeclampsia: A bioinformatics analysis with dataset

This study aimed to investigate immune score and stromal score-related signatures associated with preeclampsia (PE) and identify key genes for diagnosing PE using bioinformatics analysis. Four microarray datasets, GSE75010, GSE25906, GSE44711, and GSE10588 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. GSE75010 was utilized for differential expressed gene (DEGs) analysis. Subsequently, bioinformatic tools such as gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, weighted gene correlation network analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis were employed to functionally characterize candidate target genes involved in the pathogenesis of PE. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression approach was employed to identify crucial genes and develop a predictive model. This method also facilitated the creation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, enabling the evaluation of the model's precision. Furthermore, the model underwent external validation through the other three datasets. A total of 3286 DEGs were identified between normal and PE tissues. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses revealed enrichments in functions related to cell chemotaxis, cytokine binding, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. weighted gene correlation network analysis identified 2 color modules strongly correlated with immune and stromal scores. After intersecting DEGs with immune and stromal-related genes, 13 genes were selected and added to the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Ultimately, 7 genes were screened out to establish the risk model for discriminating preeclampsia from controls, with each gene having an area under the ROC curve >0.70. The constructed risk model demonstrated that the area under the ROC curves in internal and the other three external datasets were all greater than 0.80. A 7-gene risk signature was identified to build a potential diagnostic model and performed well in the external validation group for PE patients. These findings illustrated that immune and stromal cells played essential roles in PE during its progression.

The role of circular RNA in preeclampsia: From pathophysiological mechanism to clinical application

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy-induced hypertension disorder that poses a significant threat to the health of pregnant women and fetuses, and has become a leading cause of maternal, fetal, and neonatal mortality. Currently, the therapy strategy for PE is mainly prevention management and symptomatic treatment, and only delivery can completely terminate PE. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of PE is needed to make treatment and prevention more effective and targeted. With the deepening of molecular etiology research, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found to be widely involved in various processes of PE pathogenesis. As a kind of RNA with a special "head to tail" loop structure, the characteristics of circRNAs enable them to play diverse roles in the pathophysiology of PE, and can also serve as ideal biomarkers for early prediction and monitoring progression of PE. In this review, we summarized the latest research on PE-related circRNAs, trying to elucidate the unique or shared roles of circRNAs in various pathophysiological mechanisms of PE, aiming to provide a whole picture of current research on PE-related circRNAs, and extend a new perspective for the precise screening and targeted therapy of PE.

Hsa_circ_0001326 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells via miR-145-5p/TGFB2 axis

PROBLEM

Preeclampsia (PE) is an obstetric disease involving multiple systems, which account for maternal and fetal complications and increased mortality. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were recently deemed to associate with the pathogenesis of PE. This study aims to clarify the correlation between circRNA hsa_circ_0001326 and PE and explore its biological function in PE.

METHOD OF STUDY

The expression of hsa_circ_0001326 in PE placentas was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). After overexpressing or inhibiting hsa_circ_0001326 in trophoblast cells, the cell growth, migration, and invasion were evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assays. Western blot assay was applied to detect the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins, E-cadherin and Vimentin. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase reporter assay was applied to verify the binding sites of hsa_circ_0001326, miR-145-5p, and transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGFB2).

RESULTS

Hsa_circ_0001326 was found to be higher expressed in PE placentas than in normal placentas. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0001326 played a negative regulating role in trophoblast cell viability, migration, and invasion. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0001326 inhibited the viability, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells, while inhibition of hsa_circ_0001326 showed opposite effects. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0001326 sponged miR-145-5p to elevate TGFB2 expression in trophoblast cells.

CONCLUSION

This study provided evidence that the up-regulated hsa_circ_0001326 in PE restrained trophoblast cells proliferation, migration, and invasion by sponging miR-145-5p to elevate TGFB2 expression. Our results might provide a novel insight into the role of hsa_circ_0001326 in the pathogenesis of PE.

Circular RNAs in the Origin of Developmental Lung Disease: Promising Diagnostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a newly discovered noncoding RNA that regulates gene transcription, binds to RNA-related proteins, and encodes protein microRNAs (miRNAs). The development of molecular biomarkers such as circRNAs holds great promise in the diagnosis and prognosis of clinical disorders. Importantly, circRNA-mediated maternal-fetus risk factors including environmental (high altitude), maternal (preeclampsia, smoking, and chorioamnionitis), placental, and fetal (preterm birth and low birth weight) factors are the early origins and likely to contribute to the occurrence and progression of developmental and pediatric cardiopulmonary disorders. Although studies of circRNAs in normal cardiopulmonary development and developmental diseases have just begun, some studies have revealed their expression patterns. Here, we provide an overview of circRNAs’ biogenesis and biological functions. Furthermore, this review aims to emphasize the importance of circRNAs in maternal-fetus risk factors. Likewise, the potential biomarker and therapeutic target of circRNAs in developmental and pediatric lung diseases are explored.

Circular RNAs in Pregnancy and the Placenta

The emerging field of circular RNAs (circRNAs) has identified their novel roles in the development and function of many cancers and inspired the interest of many researchers. circRNAs are also found throughout the healthy body, as well as in other pathological states, but while research into the function and abundance of circRNAs has progressed, our overall understanding of these molecules remains primitive. Importantly, recent studies are elucidating new roles for circRNAs in pregnancy, particularly in the placenta. Given that many of the genes responsible for circRNA production in cancer are also highly expressed in the placenta, it is likely that the same genes act in the production of circRNAs in the placenta. Furthermore, placental development can be referred to as ‘controlled cancer’, as it shares many key signalling pathways and hallmarks with tumour growth and metastasis. Hence, the roles of circRNAs in this field are important to study with respect to pregnancy success but also may provide novel insights for cancer progression. This review illuminates the known roles of circRNAs in pregnancy and the placenta, as well as demonstrating differential placental expressions of circRNAs between complicated and uncomplicated pregnancies.