MicroRNAs in equine Endometritis: A review of pathophysiology and molecular insights for diagnostic and therapeutic strategies

Int Immunopharmacol. 2023 Nov;124(Pt B):110949. doi: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110949. Epub 2023 Sep 17.

Abstract

Endometritis plays an important role in mare infertility. Certain infectious agents interfere with the innate immune system of endometrium, causing a systemic inflammatory response that lasts for a long time and circulates via the blood or cellular degeneration, leading to endometritis due to bacterial endotoxins. Different small, non-coding RNA molecules are involved in many biological functions. For instance, microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. These miRNAs are important regulators of gene expression, primarily via inhibiting transcription and translation processes. This manuscript reviews: (1) pathomorphological findings in equine endometritis, (2) the expression and effects of eca-miR-17, eca-miR-223, eca-miR-200a, eca-miR-155, and eca-miR-205 in endometritis and (3) the therapeutic role of miRNA in equine endometritis. The miRNAs have a vital regulatory role in a wide range of inflammatory diseases by regulating the molecular mechanism of cytokines that cause inflammation through signal pathways. This review emphasizes the demand for cutting-edge genetic technologies and the development of novel pharmaceutical preparations to improve our understanding of the genes encoding by these miRNAs. It also focuses on the efficacy of miRNAs for control, early diagnosis, and prevention of endometritis.

Keywords: Equine endometritis; Pathophysiology; Reproduction; Therapeutics; miRNAs.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Endometritis* / diagnosis
  • Endometritis* / therapy
  • Endometritis* / veterinary
  • Endometrium / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism

Substances

  • MicroRNAs