Role of ceRNAs in non-tumor female reproductive diseases†

Abstract

The molecular mechanism of non-tumor female reproductive diseases is complicated and needs to be further elucidated. Recently, increasing evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs) which are extremely rich in the female reproductive system are crucial factors in the pathogenesis of some female reproductive disorders. In fact, these ncRNAs such as lncRNAs, circRNAs, snoRNAs, and pseudogenes that share the same miRNA response elements (MREs) with mRNAs could compete for miRNA binding site to regulate gene expression, this phenomenon is known as the competing endogenous RNAs(ceRNAs) mechanism. This review aims to summarize the role of ceRNAs in cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of non-tumor female reproductive diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure (POF), pre-eclampsia (PE), recurrent implantation failure (RIF), recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), endometriosis (EM), and endometritis, and list ceRNAs regulatory axes as well as downstream related signaling pathway. Additionally, based on certain ncRNAs that have already been proven to exist at differential levels in patient tissue samples, we also generalize some ncRNAs that can be used as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for these diseases in the future.

Keywords: ceRNA axis; female reproductive disease; miRNA; ncRNA; regulatory axis.