LncRNA CRNDE regulates trophoblast cell proliferation, invasion, and migration via modulating miR-1277

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific syndrome and contributes to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, but the underlying mechanisms of PE remain indistinct. This study aims to investigate the functional role of LncRNA CRNDE in PE pathogenesis and its effects on trophoblasts. mRNA levels of CRNDE and miR-1277 in placenta tissues and HTR-8/SVneo cells were analyzed by qRT-PCR. Western blot was carried out to evaluate protein level of E-cadherin, β-Catenin, Vimentin, MMP2 and MMP9. Cell proliferation was assessed by using CCK-8 assay and colony formation assay, whereas cell migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing assay and transwell assay, respectively. Moreover, the interrelation between CRNDE and miR-1277 was verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. The results showed that CRNDE expression was significantly downregulated, whereas miR-1277 expression was significantly upregulated in PE placental tissues. Overexpression of CRNDE facilitated HTR-8/SVneo cell proliferation, migration and invasion, promoted the EMT formation, and increased the protein expression of MMP2 and MMP9, while knockdown of CRNDE had the opposite results. In addition, we also found that miR-1277 was negatively regulated by CRNDE and was a direct target of CRNDE. Furthermore, knockdown of miR-217 promoted HTR-8/SVneo cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while knockdown of CRNDE reversed the accelerating effects of miR-1277 on HTR-8/SVneo cells. LncRNA CRNDE may suppress trophoblast cell proliferation, migration and invasion at least partly through regulating miR-1277 in trophoblast cells. CRNDE is promising to function as a new target for intervention of PE.