LncRNA-regulated infection and inflammation pathways associated with pregnancy loss: genome wide differential expression of lncRNAs in early spontaneous abortion.

PROBLEM: Spontaneous abortion (SA) occurs before 20 gestational weeks. Approximately, half of recurrent SA has no identifiable cause. No report has yet been investigated the possible involvement of lncRNA in pregnancy loss.

METHOD OF STUDY: Sixteen pairs of pregnancies with spontaneous abortions (SA) and induced abortions (IA) were studied. Embryonic sacs and decidua were collected for each pregnancy. A Human LncRNA Array was employed to profile genomewide lncRNAs, which were then validated by RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified. Biological pathways were categorized into six major groups: infection and inflammation, metabolism, signaling and transcriptional regulation, smooth muscle contraction, cell process, and coagulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Infection and inflammation pathways regulated by lncRNAs were determined as the predominant pathogenetic factors underlying the SA. Finding that antisense lncRNAs have been either up- or down-regulated suggests that they may have both cis- and trans-regulations.