Roles of microRNAs in preeclampsia

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a complex disorder that is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after the 20th week of pregnancy, and it causes most neonatal morbidity and perinatal mortality. Most studies suggest that placental dysfunction is the main cause of PE. However, genetic factors, immune factors, and systemic inflammation are also related to the pathophysiology of this syndrome. Thus far, the exact pathogenesis of PE is not yet fully understood, and intense research efforts are focused on PE to elucidate the pathophysiological mechanisms. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) refer to small single-stranded and noncoding molecules that can negatively regulate gene expression, and miRNA regulatory networks play an important role in diverse pathological processes. Many studies have confirmed deregulated miRNA in pregnant patients with PE, and the function and mechanism of these differentially expressed miRNA are gradually being revealed. In this review, we summarize the current research about miRNA involved in PE, including placenta-specific miRNA, their predictive value, and their function in the development of PE. This review will provide fundamental evidence of miRNA in PE, and further studies are necessary to explore the roles of miRNA in the early diagnosis and treatment of PE.

Keywords: MicroRNA (miRNA); placenta; preeclampsia (PE); pregnancy; trophoblast.