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Long non-coding RNAs and female infertility: What do we know?
Zarrin Banikazemi1, Zahra Heidar2, Aryan Rezaee3
1Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Institute for Basic Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
Pathology, Research and Practice
|September 27, 2023
Summary
Infertility affects 10% of reproductive-aged individuals. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key epigenetic regulators involved in female infertility, offering potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Epigenetics
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Infertility impacts 10% of reproductive-aged individuals.
- Assisted reproductive technologies may lead to unsuccessful implantation and adverse pregnancy outcomes due to epigenetic alterations.
- Non-coding RNAs, specifically long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), are crucial epigenetic regulators in physiological and pathophysiological processes, including infertility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of lncRNAs in female infertility.
- To highlight the potential of lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for infertility.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of lncRNAs involved in female infertility.
- Analysis of lncRNA functions in reproductive processes.
Main Results:
- lncRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase II and are longer than 200 nucleotides.
- lncRNAs regulate critical biological processes such as nuclear transport, X chromosome inactivation, apoptosis, stem cell pluripotency, and genomic imprinting.
- Advances in high-throughput sequencing have linked numerous lncRNAs to male reproductive functions, including testicular development, spermatogonial stem cell maintenance, and spermatocyte meiosis.
Conclusions:
- lncRNAs play significant roles in various biological processes relevant to reproduction.
- The identified roles of lncRNAs in male reproductive functions suggest their broader involvement in reproductive health.
- lncRNAs hold promise as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for addressing female infertility.
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