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Review
. 2024 Apr 17;12(4):888.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12040888.

Circulating microRNAs as Non-Invasive Biomarkers in Endometriosis Diagnosis-A Systematic Review

Arne Vanhie  1 , Ellen Caron  2 , Eveline Vermeersch  2 , Dorien O  2 , Carla Tomassetti  2 , Christel Meuleman  2 , Pieter Mestdagh  3   4 , Thomas M D'Hooghe  2
Affiliations
Review

Circulating microRNAs as Non-Invasive Biomarkers in Endometriosis Diagnosis-A Systematic Review

Arne Vanhie et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the power of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers as a diagnostic tool in endometriosis. In endometriosis-suspected women with uncertain imaging, the only way to confirm or exclude endometriosis with certainty is currently laparoscopy. This creates a need for non-invasive diagnostics. We searched the literature through the PubMed database using the Mesh terms 'endometriosis' and 'miRNAs'. Some, but limited, overlap was found between the 32 articles included, with a total of 20 miRNAs reported as dysregulated in endometriosis in two or more studies. MiR-17-5p was reported as dysregulated in six studies, followed by miR-451a and let-7b-5p in four studies and miR-20a-5p, miR-143-3p, miR-199a-5p and miR-3613-5p in three studies. Furthermore, a possible impact of the menstrual phase on miRNA expression was noted in five studies, while no influence of hormonal intake was observed in any included study. The modest reproducibility between studies may be attributable to biological variability as well as to the lack of universal protocols, resulting in pre- and analytical variability. Despite the identification of several suitable candidate biomarkers among the miRNAs, the need for high-quality studies with larger and well-defined population cohorts and the use of standardized protocols lingers.

Keywords: diagnosis; endometriosis; miRNA; plasma; serum.

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Conflict of interest statement

T.D. is the vice president and Head of Global Medical Affairs Fertility, Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. He is also a professor in Reproductive Medicine and Biology at the Department of Development and Regeneration, Group Biomedical Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Belgium, and an adjunct professor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the University of Yale, New Haven, USA. Neither his corporate role nor his academic roles represent a conflict of interest with respect to the work conducted by him for this study. Author Pieter Mestdagh was employed by the company Biogazelle. The [Biogazelle] had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results. The other co-authors have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flowchart of literature search and study selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Significantly dysregulated miRNAs in two or more studies.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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