Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most typical metabolic syndrome in women of reproductive age, with a high prevalence and an increased risk of long-term complications. PCOS mainly manifests as hyperandrogenism (HA), ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovaries, in addition to being relevant to infertility, insulin resistance (IR), obesity, lipid abnormalities, and chronic low-grade inflammation. The etiology of this syndrome remains largely unknown. microRNAs (miRNAs), small, noncoding RNAs (nearly 22 nucleotides long), regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. Abnormal miRNA levels are closely associated with the occurrence of diseases, such as diabetes, cancers, and atherosclerosis, and miRNAs can be used as predictors and diagnostic biomarkers for cancer. Interestingly, the roles of miRNAs in PCOS pathology have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Research has established that alterations in miRNA expression in women with PCOS compared with healthy women may act as noninvasive biomarkers and new therapeutic targets in PCOS. This article aims to summarize the latest research on the relationship between miRNAs and the clinical manifestations of PCOS while also providing a few mechanisms based on previous studies. Understanding the relationship between miRNAs and PCOS will provide guidance for researchers to further explore the complexity and heterogeneity of PCOS.
Keywords: follicular development; hyperandrogenism; insulin resistance; lipid metabolism; microRNA; polycystic ovary syndrome.