The Role of Noncoding RNA in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Premature Ovarian Insufficiency

LncRNA-THBS4 affects granulosa cell proliferation and apoptosis in diminished ovarian reserve by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

BACKGROUNDS

Recent studies have found Several lncRNAs were proved differential expression in diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) patients, however, the mechanism of DOR caused by lncRNAs is still largely unclear.

METHODS

High throughput sequencing was performed in ovarian GCs extracted from women with normal ovarian function and women with DOR. Bioinformation analysis was used to analyze the sequencing data and identify the differential expression of lncRNAs. Quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to verify the sequencing results. Situ fluorescence hybridization (FISH) followed by confocal microscopy and qRT-PCR were used to explore the location and expression of LncRNA-THBS4 in GCs. The significantly enriched signaling pathways of LncRNA-THBS4 were identified by KEGG. The study used RNA interference technology to decipher LncRNA-THBS4 function by silencing LncRNA-THBS4 in GCs. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to explore the mRNA and protein expressions of key factors of PI3Ks pathway. The pro-apoptotic protein and anti-apoptotic protein were detected by western blot. The proliferation and apoptosis of GCs were detected by MTT assay and Flow cytometry.

RESULTS

197 lncRNAs with significant differences in expression levels were detected between control and DOR group by high throughput sequencing. The study found the expression of LncRNA-THBS4 in GCs was positively correlated with Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) (p = 0.0020, r = 0.4742)、antral follicle count (AFC) (p = 0.0007, r = 0.5130)、good embryo rate (p = 0.0006, r = 0.5210), negatively correlated with basal FSH level (p = 0.0007, r = －0.5152). LncRNA-THBS4 was mainly localized in the cytoplasm of GCs. LncRNA-THBS4 silencing could inhibit the PI3Ks pathway; decrease the levels of anti-apoptotic protein, inhibit the proliferation of GCs; increase the levels of apoptosis protein, enhance the apoptosis of GCs.

CONCLUSIONS

The expression level of lncRNA-THBS4 is correlated with ovarian function indicators and pregnancy outcomes in women. LncRNA-THBS4 may participate in the pathogenesis of DOR by affecting the proliferation and apoptosis of GCs via regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Genetic associations of miRNA variants (miR-10a, miR-30c, miR-181a, miR-499b) with primary ovarian insufficiency in Korean women

OBJECTIVES

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are pivotal in post-transcriptionally modulating gene expression in both animals and plants. This study investigates the relationship between microRNA polymorphisms and the occurrence of primary ovarian insufficiency in Korean women. Our hypothesis posits that polymorphisms in microRNAs-specifically miR-10aA > T, miR-30cA > G, miR-181aT > C, and miR-499bA > G-may be linked to primary ovarian insufficiency, influencing the risk of developing the condition.

METHODS

We conducted a case-control study of 141 Korean women with primary ovarian insufficiency and 281 control individuals with at least one live birth and no history of pregnancy loss.

RESULTS

Our findings indicate that various combinations of these four microRNA polymorphic sites are associated with an increased risk of primary ovarian insufficiency. The combination analysis indicated a significant decrease in the frequency of the miR-181a/miR-499b TC/AA allele combination in individuals with primary ovarian insufficiency (P < 0.05). Additionally, one-way analysis of variance of data from patients with primary ovarian insufficiency revealed that, in comparison with miR-181aTT, the miR-181aCC genotype was associated with significantly lower levels of both follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, suggesting potential protective effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that dysregulation of the miR-10aA > T, miR-30cA > G, miR-181aT > C, and miR-499bA > G polymorphisms in these microRNAs contributes to the regulation of target genes related to primary ovarian insufficiency.

Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network and key genes in granulosa cells of patients with biochemical primary ovarian insufficiency

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a common condition leading to the pathological decline of ovarian function in women of reproductive age, resulting in amenorrhea, hypogonadism, and infertility. Biochemical premature ovarian insufficiency (bPOI) is an intermediate stage in the pathogenesis of POI in which the fertility of patients has been reduced. Previous studies suggest that granulosa cells (GCs) play an essential role in the pathogenesis of POI, but their pathogenetic mechanisms remain unclear. To further explore the potential pathophysiological mechanisms of GCs in POI, we constructed a molecular long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) network using GC expression data collected from biochemical premature ovarian failure (bPOI) patients in the GEO database. We discovered that the GCs of bPOI patients had differential expression of 131 mRNAs, 191 lncRNAs, and 28 miRNAs. By systematic network analysis, we identified six key genes, including SRSF1, PDIA5, NEURL1B, UNK, CELF2, and CFL2, and five hub miRNAs, namely hsa-miR-27a-3p, hsa-miR-24-3p, hsa-miR-22-3p, hsa-miR-129-5p, and hsa-miR-17-5p, and the results suggest that the expression of these key genes may be regulated by two hub miRNAs, hsa-miR-27a-3p and hsa-miR-17-5p. Additionally, a POI model in vitro was created to confirm the expression of a few important genes. In this study, we discovered a unique lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network based on the ceRNA mechanism in bPOI for the first time, and we screened important associated molecules, providing a partial theoretical foundation to better understand the pathogenesis of POI.

MicroRNAs in POI, DOR and POR

PURPOSE

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a clinical syndrome defined by loss of ovarian activity before the age of 40 years. However, the etiology of approximately 90% patients remains unknown. Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and poor ovarian response (POR) are related to POI in clinic. The main purpose of this review was to evaluate the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the pathogenesis and therapeutic potential for POI, DOR and POR.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted using six databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI and Wangfang Data) to obtain relevant studies.

RESULTS

This review enlightens expression profiles and functional studies of miRNAs in ovarian insufficiency in animal models and humans. Functional studies emphasized the role of miRNAs in steroidogenesis, granulosa cell proliferation/apoptosis, autophagy and follicular development by regulating target genes in specific pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, TGFβ, MAPK and Hippo pathways. Differentially expressed circulating miRNAs provided novel biomarkers for diagnosis and prediction, such as miR-22-3p and miR-21. Moreover, exosomes derived from stem cells restored ovarian function through miRNAs in chemotherapy-induced POI models.

CONCLUSION

Differential miRNA expression profiles in patients and animal models uncovered the underlying mechanisms and biomarkers of ovarian insufficiency. Exosomal miRNAs can restore ovarian function against chemotherapy-induced POI, which needs further investigation to develop novel preventive and therapeutic strategies in clinical practice.

Long non-coding RNAs and female infertility: What do we know?

Ten percent of people who are of reproductive age experience infertility. Sometimes the most effective therapies, including technology for assisted reproduction, may lead to unsuccessful implantation. Because of the anticipated epigenetic alterations of in vitro as well as in vitro fertilization growth of embryos, these fertility techniques have also been linked to unfavorable pregnancy outcomes linked to infertility. In this regard, a variety of non-coding RNAs such as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as epigenetic regulators in the various physiological and pathophysiological events such as infertility. LncRNAs have been made up of cytoplasmic and nuclear nucleotides; RNA polymerase II transcribes these, which are lengthier than 200 nt. LncRNAs perform critical roles in a number of biological procedures like nuclear transport, X chromosome inactivation, apoptosis, stem cell pluripotency, as well as genomic imprinting. A significant amount of lncRNAs were linked into a variety of biological procedures as high throughput sequencing technology advances, including the development of the testes, preserving spermatogonial stem cells' capacity for differentiation along with self-renewal, and controlling spermatocyte meiosis. All of them point to possible utility of lncRNAs to be biomarkers and treatment aims for female infertility. Herein, we summarize various lncRNAs that are involved in female infertility.

Biological therapies for premature ovarian insufficiency: what is the evidence?

Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) is a multi-factorial disorder that affects women of reproductive age. The condition is characterized by the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40 years and several factors have been identified to be implicated in its pathogenesis. Remarkably though, at least 50% of women have remaining follicles in their ovaries after the development of ovarian insufficiency. Population data show that approximately up to 3.7% of women worldwide suffer from POI and subsequent infertility. Currently, the treatment of POI-related infertility involves oocyte donation. However, many women with POI desire to conceive with their own ova. Therefore, experimental biological therapies, such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Exosomes (exos) therapy, In vitro Activation (IVA), Stem Cell therapy, MicroRNAs and Mitochondrial Targeting Therapies are experimental treatment strategies that focus on activating oogenesis and folliculogenesis, by upregulating natural biochemical pathways (neo-folliculogenesis) and improving ovarian microenvironment. This mini-review aims at identifying the main advantages of these approaches and exploring whether they can underpin existing assisted reproductive technologies.

Recent Insights into Noncoding RNAs in Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: Focus on Mechanisms and Treatments

CONTEXT

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a heterogeneous disease with an unknown underlying trigger or root cause. Recently many studies evaluated noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), especially microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for their associations with POI.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

In this review, we outline the biogenesis of various ncRNAs relevant to POI and summarize the evidence for their roles in the regulation of disease occurrence and progression. Articles from 2003 to 2022 were selected for relevance, validity, and quality from results obtained in PubMed and Google Scholar using the following search terms: noncoding RNAs; primary ovarian insufficiency; premature ovarian failure; noncoding RNAs and primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure; miRNAs and primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure; lncRNAs and primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure; siRNAs and primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure; circRNAs and primary ovarian insufficiency/premature ovarian failure; pathophysiology; and potential treatment. All articles were independently screened for eligibility by the authors.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

This review summarizes the biological functions and synthesis of miRNAs, lncRNAs, siRNAs, and circRNAs in POI and discusses the findings of clinical and in vitro and in vivo studies. Although there is variability in the findings of individual studies, overall the available literature justifies the conclusion that dysregulated ncRNAs play significant roles in POI.

CONCLUSION

The potential of ncRNAs in the treatment of POI requires further investigation, as ncRNAs derived from mesenchymal stem cell-secreted exosomes play pivotal roles and have considerable therapeutic potential in a multitude of diseases.

The role of miRNA molecules in the miscarriage process

The etiology and pathogenesis of miscarriage, which is the most common pregnancy complication, have not been fully elucidated. There is a constant search for new screening biomarkers that would allow for the early diagnosis of disorders associated with pregnancy pathology. The profiling of microRNA expression is a promising research area, which can help establish the predictive factors for pregnancy diseases. Molecules of microRNAs are involved in several processes crucial for the development and functioning of the body. These processes include cell division and differentiation, programmed cell death, blood vessel formation or tumorigenesis, and the response to oxidative stress. The microRNAs affect the number of individual proteins in the body due to their ability to regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, ensuring the normal course of many cellular processes. Based on the scientific facts available, this paper presents a compendium on the role of microRNA molecules in the miscarriage process. The expression of potential microRNA molecules as early minimally invasive diagnostic biomarkers may be evaluated as early as the first weeks of pregnancy and may constitute a monitoring factor in the individual clinical care of women in early pregnancy, especially after the first miscarriage. To summarize, the described scientific data set a new direction of research in the development of preventive care and prognostic monitoring of the course of pregnancy.

Selected Genetic Factors Associated with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a heterogeneous disease resulting from non-functional ovaries in women before the age of 40. It is characterized by primary amenorrhea or secondary amenorrhea. As regards its etiology, although many POI cases are idiopathic, menopausal age is a heritable trait and genetic factors play an important role in all POI cases with known causes, accounting for approximately 20% to 25% of cases. This paper reviews the selected genetic causes implicated in POI and examines their pathogenic mechanisms to show the crucial role of genetic effects on POI. The genetic factors that can be found in POI cases include chromosomal abnormalities (e.g., X chromosomal aneuploidies, structural X chromosomal abnormalities, X-autosome translocations, and autosomal variations), single gene mutations (e.g., newborn ovary homeobox gene (NOBOX), folliculogenesis specific bHLH transcription factor (FIGLA), follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), forkhead box L2 (FOXL2), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), etc., as well as defects in mitochondrial functions and non-coding RNAs (small ncRNAs and long ncRNAs). These findings are beneficial for doctors to diagnose idiopathic POI cases and predict the risk of POI in women.

LncRNA DANCR counteracts premature ovarian insufficiency by regulating the senescence process of granulosa cells through stabilizing the interaction between p53 and hNRNPC

BACKGROUND

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is one of the common women reproductive endocrine diseases which adversely impacts female fertility, but the etiology and pathogenesis still remain elusive. Recently increasing researches focus on the roles of lncRNA in POI. LncRNA DANCR was involved in cell differentiation and multiple cancers. It's highly expressed in ovary while the role of DANCR in POI is still unknown.

RESULTS

Here, we identify a new POI related lncRNA DANCR, which negatively contributes to ovarian granulosa cells aging and follicular atresia. DANCR is proved to be decreasingly expressed in POI patients' granulosa cells. Additionally, Dancr knockout (Dancr^-/-) mice were constructed and characterized with POI phenotypes and fertility decline, compared with Dancr^+/+ mice. Further, in vitro experiments indicated that DANCR knockdown in granulosa cells led to cell aging and series of aging-related changes including proliferation inhibition, cell cycle G1 arrest and DNA damage. Mechanism research revealed DANCR binds with hNRNPC and p53, while DANCR knockdown attenuates the binding of hNRNPC and p53, thus enhancing protein level of p53 and promoting granulosa cells aging significantly.

CONCLUSION

The newly identified lncRNA DANCR inhibits p53-dependent granulosa cells aging by regulating hNRNPC-p53 interaction, and eventually counteracting POI. This provides new insights into the pathogenesis of POI and provides a potential target for future diagnosis and treatment.

Volatilomics as an Emerging Strategy to Determine Potential Biomarkers of Female Infertility: A Pilot Study

Due to its high prevalence, infertility has become a prominent public health issue, posing a significant challenge to modern reproductive medicine. Some clinical conditions that lead to female infertility include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and premature ovarian failure (POF). Follicular fluid (FF) is the biological matrix that has the most contact with the oocyte and can, therefore, be used as a predictor of its quality. Volatilomics has emerged as a non-invasive, straightforward, affordable, and simple method for characterizing various diseases and determining the effectiveness of their current therapies. In order to find potential biomarkers of infertility, this study set out to determine the volatomic pattern of the follicular fluid from patients with PCOS, endometriosis, and POF. The chromatographic data integration was performed through solid-phase microextraction (SPME), followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The findings pointed to specific metabolite patterns as potential biomarkers for the studied diseases. These open the door for further research into the relevant metabolomic pathways to enhance infertility knowledge and diagnostic tools. An extended investigation may, however, produce a new mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology of the diseases.

Expression of long noncoding RNAs in the ovarian granulosa cells of women with diminished ovarian reserve using high-throughput sequencing

Background

Infertility is a global reproductive-health problem, and diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) is one of the common causes of female infertility. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial regulators of numerous physiological and pathological processes in humans. However, whether lncRNAs are involved in the development of DOR remains to be elucidated.

Methods

Ovarian granulosa cells (OGCs) extracted from infertile women with DOR and from women with normal ovarian reserve (NOR) were subjected to high-throughput sequencing. Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was conducted to identify the differential expression of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs. Sequencing results were validated by the selection of lncRNAs and mRNAs using real-time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

Results

Compared with the NOR group, a total of 244 lncRNAs were upregulated (53 known and 191 novel), and 222 lncRNAs were downregulated (36 known and 186 novel) in the DOR group. Similarly, 457 mRNAs had differential expression between the two groups. Of these, 169 were upregulated and 288 were downregulated. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes of mRNA and lncRNAs were considerably enriched in “cell adhesion and apoptosis”, “steroid biosynthesis”, and “immune system”. A co-expression network comprising lncRNAs and their predicted target genes revealed the possible involvement of the “thyroid hormone signaling pathway” and “protein binding, digestion and absorption” in DOR pathogenesis. The expression of SLC16A10 was positively regulated by multiple lncRNAs. After RT-qPCR validation of seven differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs, respectively, the expression of lncRNA NEAT1, GNG12, ZEB2-AS1, and mRNA FN1, HAS3, RGS4, SUOX were in accordance with RNA-sequencing.

Conclusions

We presented the first data showing that the expression profiles of lncRNA and mRNA in OGCs between NOR and DOR patients using RNA sequencing. The lncRNAs and mRNAs that we identified may serve as novel diagnostic biomarkers for patients with DOR.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-022-01053-6.

Sodium propionate improves rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting survivin mediated proliferation of fibroblast like synoviocytes by promoting miR-140-5p

BACKGROUND

Increased proliferation and impaired death of fibroblast-like synovial cells play an important role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Survivin plays an important role in the prodromal stage and prognosis of RA and has been introduced as a biomarker of joint injury in RA patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether propionate alleviates RA through miR-140-5p/survivin pathway.

METHODS

The synovial tissues of RA patients were collected to detect the expression levels of miR-140-5p and survivin; normal human fibroblast-like synovial cells (HLSs) and RA fibroblast-like synovial cells (RA-FLSs) were cultured and treated with 10 mM of sodium propionate (SP), then the expressions of miR-140-5p and survivin, cell viability and apoptosis were detected; collagen induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was constructed and treated with SP, then the tissue inflammation level and the expression levels of miR-140-5p and Survivin were detected.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-140-5p decreased in synovial tissues of RA patients and RA-FLSs cells, while the expression of survivin increased significantly in RA patients. SP promoted miR-140-5p expression and apoptosis in RA-FLSs cells and inhibited survivin expression and cell viability of RA-FLSs cells. In addition, miR-140-5p plays a protective role by targeting survivin. Importantly, in the CIA rat model, SP reduced joint inflammatory response, and the miR-140-5p inhibitor weakened the protective effect of SP.

CONCLUSION

SP can alleviate RA by promoting the expression of miR-140-5p and inhibiting the excessive proliferation and death impairment of RA-FLSs cells induced by survivin.

Identification of Potential Molecular Mechanism Related to Infertile Endometriosis

Objectives

In this research, we aim to explore the bioinformatic mechanism of infertile endometriosis in order to identify new treatment targets and molecular mechanism.

Methods

The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database was used to download MRNA sequencing data from infertile endometriosis patients. The “limma” package in R software was used to find differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to classify genes into modules, further obtained the correlation coefficient between the modules and infertility endometriosis. The intersection genes of the most disease-related modular genes and DEGs are called gene set 1. To clarify the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for infertile endometriosis, we used Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) enrichment, Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) networks, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) on these intersecting genes. We identified lncRNAs and miRNAs linked with infertility and created competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) regulation networks using the Human MicroRNA Disease Database (HMDD), mirTarBase database, and LncRNA Disease database.

Results

Firstly, WGCNA enrichment analysis was used to examine the infertile endometriosis dataset GSE120103, and we discovered that the Meorangered1 module was the most significantly related with infertile endometriosis. The intersection genes were mostly enriched in the metabolism of different amino acids, the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, and the cAMP signaling pathway according to KEGG enrichment analysis. The Meorangered1 module genes and DEGs were then subjected to bioinformatic analysis. The hub genes in the PPI network were performed KEGG enrichment analysis, and the results were consistent with the intersection gene analysis. Finally, we used the database to identify 13 miRNAs and two lncRNAs linked to infertility in order to create the ceRNA regulatory network linked to infertile endometriosis.

Conclusion

In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach for the first time to identify amino acid metabolism as a possible major cause of infertility in patients with endometriosis and to provide potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of these patients.

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Association between Endometriosis and Ectopic Pregnancy

Endometriosis is a common inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity. It is estimated that it affects 10% of women of reproductive age. Its pathogenesis covers a wide range of abnormalities, including adhesion, proliferation, and cell signaling disturbances. It is associated with a significant deterioration in quality of life as a result of chronic pelvic pain and may also lead to infertility. One of the most serious complications of endometriosis is an ectopic pregnancy (EP). Currently, the exact mechanism explaining this phenomenon is unknown; therefore, there are no effective methods of prevention. It is assumed that the pathogenesis of EP is influenced by abnormalities in the contraction of the fallopian tube muscles, the mobility of the cilia, and in the fallopian microenvironment. Endometriosis can disrupt function on all three levels and thus contribute to the implantation of the embryo beyond the physiological site. This review takes into account aspects of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of endometriosis and EP, with particular emphasis on the similarities between them.