Pregnancy-associated changes in cervical noncoding RNA

Kristin D Gerson1, Miriam J Haviland2, Dayna Neo2

  • 1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Maternal Child Health Research Center, Center for Research on Reproduction & Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Epigenomics
|August 19, 2020
PubMed

Aim: To identify pregnancy-associated changes in cervical noncoding RNA (ncRNA), including miRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and their potential effects on biologic processes. Materials & methods: We enrolled 21 pregnant women with term deliveries (≥37 weeks' gestation) in a prospective cohort and collected cervical swabs before 28 weeks' gestation. We enrolled 21 nonpregnant controls. We analyzed miRNA, lncRNA and mRNA expression, applying a Bonferroni correction. Results: Five miRNA and three lncRNA were significantly differentially (>twofold change) expressed. Putative miRNA targets are enriched in genes mediating organogenesis, glucocorticoid signaling, cell adhesion and ncRNA machinery. Conclusion: Differential cervical ncRNA expression occurs in the setting of pregnancy. Gene ontology classification reveals biological pathways through which miRNA may play a biologic role in normal pregnancy physiology.

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