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Published on: January 26, 2024
Identification and comparison of circular RNAs in preeclampsia
Zepeng Ping1, Ling Ai1, Huaxiang Shen1
1Department of Obstetrics, Maternity and Child Health Care Affiliated Hospital, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China.
Insights
Preeclampsia (PE) pathogenesis remains unclear. This study investigated circular RNA (circRNA) expression in PE patients, revealing differential expression and potential regulatory roles through competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks, offering new insights into PE molecular mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific condition contributing to maternal and perinatal mortality.
- The underlying pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains poorly understood.
- Gestational hypertension diseases encompass preeclampsia, highlighting its clinical significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate circular RNA (circRNA) expression patterns in preeclampsia (PE).
- To explore the potential regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in PE pathogenesis.
- To construct competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks to elucidate molecular roles of dysregulated circRNAs.
Main Methods:
- Whole RNA sequencing was employed to analyze circRNA expression profiles.
- Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses were performed on differentially expressed circRNAs.
- circRNA-microRNA (miRNA) and miRNA-mRNA interactions were analyzed to construct ceRNA networks.
Main Results:
- 151 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified (121 upregulated, 30 downregulated).
- Enrichment analysis indicated significant biological process and pathway alterations in PE patients.
- Two ceRNA networks were constructed, revealing complex regulatory interactions involving circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs.
- circRNA_13301 was identified as a key upregulated circRNA targeted by multiple miRNAs.
Conclusions:
- CircRNA expression patterns are altered in preeclampsia, suggesting their involvement in disease pathogenesis.
- ceRNA networks provide insights into the molecular roles of dysregulated circRNAs in PE.
- Further research into circRNA regulatory networks may uncover novel therapeutic targets for preeclampsia.
Background:
Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific syndrome, belongs to the gestational hypertension diseases category and is considered among the causes of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. However, the pathogenesis of PE is still vague.
Methods:
In the present study, the circular RNA (circRNA) expression patterns of normal pregnant women and PE patients were investigated using whole RNA sequencing.
Results:
A total of 151 differential expressed circRNAs were identified including 121 upregulated and 30 downregulated ones. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis was conducted on the differentially expressed circRNAs using Gene Ontology and KEGG databases. The results of this analysis indicated that several crucial biological processes and pathways were enriched in PE patients. circRNA-microRNA (miRNA) interaction analysis indicated that the reported differentially expresse circRNAs may be associated with some regulatory functions through miRNAs in PE patients. Two ceRNAs networks were constructed according to the targeting relationship between circRNAs/miRNAs and miRNAs/mRNAs. One sub-network contained one upregulated circRNA, four downregulated miRNAs and five upregulated mRNAs, and another sub-network contained 10 downregulated circRNAs, 21 upregulated miRNAs and 15 downregulated mRNAs.
Conclusion:
CircRNA expression patterns have been investigated and this analysis revealed their potential regulatory mechanisms in PE patients. We constructed the ceRNAs (competing endogenous RNA) to reveal the potential molecular roles of dysregulated circRNAs in the PE patients using RNA sequencing data. circRNA_13301 was the only one upregulated circRNA in ceRNA being targeted by four miRNAs.
