Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Center of Postgraduate Medical Education, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland.
Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacogenomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Apr 24;21(8):3016. doi: 10.3390/ijms21083016.
Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common benign tumors of the female genital tract. Their prevalence usually is estimated at 30-40%, but may reach up to 70-80% in predisposed groups of women. UFs may cause various clinical issues which might constitute the major reason of the overall deterioration of the quality of life. The mechanisms leading to UFs formation and growth still remain poorly understood. The transformation of smooth muscle cells of the uterus into abnormal, immortal cells, capable of clonal division, is thought to be a starting point of all pathways leading to UF formation. Micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are non-coding single-stranded RNAs about 22 nucleotides in length, that regulate gene expression. One of recent advances in this field is the comprehension of the role of miRNAs in tumorigenesis. Alterations in the levels of miRNAs are related to the formation and growth of several tumors which show a distinct miRNA signature. The aim of this review is to summarize the current data about the role of miRNAs in the pathophysiology of UFs. We also discuss future directions in the miRNA research area with an emphasis on novel diagnostic opportunities or patient-tailored therapies. In our opinion data concerning the regulation of miRNA and its gene targets in the UFs are still insufficient in comparison with gynecological malignancies. The potential translational use of miRNA and derived technologies in the clinical care is at the early phase and needs far more evidence. However, it is one of the main areas of interest for the future as the use of miRNAs in the diagnostics and treatment of UFs is a new and exciting opportunity.
子宫肌瘤（UFs）是女性生殖道最常见的良性肿瘤。其患病率通常估计为 30-40%，但在易患人群中可能高达 70-80%。UFs 可能导致各种临床问题，这些问题可能是导致整体生活质量恶化的主要原因。导致 UFs 形成和生长的机制仍知之甚少。子宫平滑肌细胞向异常的、不朽的、能够克隆分裂的细胞的转化被认为是导致 UF 形成的所有途径的起点。微小核糖核酸（miRNAs）是约 22 个核苷酸长的非编码单链 RNA，可调节基因表达。该领域的最新进展之一是理解 miRNAs 在肿瘤发生中的作用。miRNAs 水平的改变与表现出明显 miRNA 特征的几种肿瘤的形成和生长有关。本文综述了 miRNAs 在 UFs 病理生理学中的作用的最新数据。我们还讨论了 miRNA 研究领域的未来方向，重点是新的诊断机会或针对患者的治疗方法。我们认为，与妇科恶性肿瘤相比，关于 miRNA 及其基因靶标在 UFs 中的调节的数据仍然不足。miRNA 及其衍生技术在临床护理中的潜在转化应用尚处于早期阶段，需要更多的证据。然而，这是未来的主要关注点之一，因为 miRNAs 在 UF 的诊断和治疗中的应用是一个新的令人兴奋的机会。
