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Published on: June 24, 2020
Cervical microRNA expression and spontaneous preterm birth.
Heather H Burris1, Kristin D Gerson2, Alexa Woodward3
1From the Division of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (Dr Burris and Ms Ledyard); Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (Dr Burris); Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (Dr Burris).
This study found higher cervical microRNA expression in spontaneous preterm birth cases. While 95 microRNAs were up-regulated, further research is needed to confirm their predictive ability for preterm birth.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Genomics
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Spontaneous preterm birth affects 10% of pregnancies, increasing neonatal risks.
- The pathogenesis and prediction of spontaneous preterm birth remain poorly understood.
- Cervical microRNAs are being investigated as potential predictive biomarkers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine associations between cervical microRNA expression and spontaneous preterm birth.
- To identify a subset of microRNAs that can predict spontaneous preterm birth.
Main Methods:
- Prospective, nested case-control study with 25 spontaneous preterm birth cases and 49 term controls.
- Cervical swabs analyzed for microRNA expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction array.
- Machine learning and enrichment analysis used for prediction and pathway exploration.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher average cervical microRNA expression in spontaneous preterm birth cases (P=.01).
- 95 distinct microRNAs were significantly up-regulated in spontaneous preterm birth cases.
- Machine learning model showed low-to-moderate prediction accuracy (AUC=0.71).
Conclusions:
- A global increase and specific up-regulation of cervical microRNAs are associated with spontaneous preterm birth.
- Larger studies are needed to validate microRNAs as accurate predictors of spontaneous preterm birth.
- Further research is warranted for developing novel therapeutic interventions.
