Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG4 Expression in Women with Endometriosis: A Pilot Study

Tomasz Szaflik; Hanna Romanowicz; Krzysztof Szyłło; Beata Smolarz

doi:10.3390/genes14010152

Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG4 Expression in Women with Endometriosis: A Pilot Study

Genes (Basel). 2023 Jan 5;14(1):152. doi: 10.3390/genes14010152.

Authors

Tomasz Szaflik¹, Hanna Romanowicz², Krzysztof Szyłło¹, Beata Smolarz²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gynaecology, Oncological Gynaecology and Endometriosis Treatment, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.
² Laboratory of Cancer Genetics, Department of Pathology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, Rzgowska 281/289, 93-338 Lodz, Poland.

Abstract

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic disease of the genital organs that mainly affects women of reproductive age. The analysis of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in endometriosis is a novel field of science. Recently, attention has been drawn to SNHG4, which is incorrectly expressed in various human diseases, including endometriosis.

Aim: The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the expression of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 4 (SNHG4) and to investigate its significance in endometriosis.

Material and methods: LncRNA SNHG4 expression was investigated in paraffin blocks in endometriosis patients (n = 100) and in endometriosis-free controls (n = 100) using a real-time PCR assay.

Results: This study revealed a higher expression of SNHG4 in endometriosis patients than in controls. A statistically significant relationship between expression level and SNHG4 was found in relation to The Revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification of endometriosis, 1996, in the group of patients with endometriosis.

Conclusion: This pilot study has revealed that gene expression in SNHG4 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Keywords: SNHG4; endometriosis; lncRNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Endometriosis* / genetics
Female
Humans
Pilot Projects
RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
RNA, Long Noncoding* / metabolism
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

RNA, Long Noncoding

Grants and funding

The work received the support of the Institute of Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital, Lodz, Poland, from the Statutory Development (PMMH-RR, No 2020/22).