Evaluation of circulating placenta-related long noncoding RNAs as potential biomarkers for preeclampsia

Increasing evidence has indicated that circulating placental RNAs may reflect the pathophysiology of the placenta. In the current study, circulating placenta-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were evaluated as potential biomarkers for preeclampsia (PE). Two parts of the case-control study were simultaneously executed, including the following sets: 52 patients with late-onset PE (LOPE) (diagnosed after 34 weeks) and 52 gestational age (GA)-matched controls; 58 patients with early-onset PE (EOPE) (diagnosed before 34 weeks) and 58 GA-matched controls. LncRNA expression was detected in the placenta analysis part, and the participants were delivered by caesarean sections. The levels of circulating placenta-associated lncRNAs were measured in the plasma analysis part and all pregnant women were included. Using microarray analysis, 163 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified in placental samples from patients with LOPE, some of which were also detected in plasma samples from pregnant women. There were significant positive correlations between plasma, and placental expression levels of NONHSAT116812 and NONHSAT145880, which in plasma provided high diagnostic efficiencies for LOPE and EOPE. The present study demonstrated that circulating placenta-associated lncRNAs, paticularly NONHSAT116812 and NONHSAT145880 have potential as biomarkers for PE.