miR-196a-5p affects the progression of polycystic ovary syndrome by targeting EPHA7.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a highly prevalent endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, is strongly associated with infertility. This study explored the relevance of the regulation of KGN cell function by miR-196a-5p and the pathogenesis of PCOS. This study selected 105 patients with non-obese, hyperandrogenic PCOS and 88 healthy individuals as research subjects. The levels of miR-196a-5p and EPHA7 in cells were assayed by RT-qPCR. Diagnostic accuracy of miR-196a-5p for PCOS was analyzed by ROC curve and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation between the differential expression of miR-196a-5p and clinical indicators. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were assayed by CCK8 and flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and EPHA7 protein. Relationship between EPHA7 and miR-196a-5p was detected through miRDB database and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Correlation between miR-196a-5p and EPHA7 in non-obese, hyperandrogenic PCOS patients was analyzed by Pearson correlation. In GCs from non-obese, hyperandrogenic PCOS patients, an up-regulation of miR-196a-5p levels was observed, while EPHA7 showed a down-regulation trend. ROC analysis showed that miR-196a-5p had a high diagnostic value for non-obese, hyperandrogenic PCOS patients. miR-196a-5p may be an independent risk factor for PCOS, and it is significantly positively correlated with clinical indicators. Overexpression of miR-196a-5p in KGN cells enhanced cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis, while inhibition of this miRNA expression reversed this effect. In PCOS, miR-196a-5p was negatively correlated with EPHA7. Furthermore, reducing EPHA7 levels counteracted the regulatory effects of miR-196a-5p downregulation on KGN cells. miR-196a-5p was upregulated in GCs from non-obese, hyperandrogenic PCOS patients and promoted cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis by regulating EPHA7. Therefore, miR-196a-5p shows promise as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for this subtype of PCOS.