Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.
Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, People's Republic of China.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2021 Sep 15;535:111392. doi: 10.1016/j.mce.2021.111392. Epub 2021 Jul 9.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder in reproductive-aged women, and its pathogenesis is still under debate. Recent studies suggest crucial roles for microRNAs (miRNAs) in PCOS development. The let-7 family miRNAs constitute the most abundant miRNAs in human granulosa cells (GCs), and plays an important role in follicular development. However, research on the let-7e implications of the non-hyperandrogenic (non-HA) phenotype remains unclear. This study aimed at determining the role of let-7e in the progression of PCOS. We performed quantitative real-time PCR to examine the levels of let-7e in fifty-two non-HA PCOS patients and fifty-two controls. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to reveal the diagnostic value of let-7e in non-HA PCOS. Using an immortalized human granulosa cell line, KGN, we investigated the influence of let-7e on cell proliferation and autophagy. Our data substantiated the expression of let-7e was significantly increased in non-HA PCOS group, and associated with an increased antral follicle count. The ROC curve indicated a major separation between non-HA PCOS group and the control group. Let-7e knockdown suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced cell autophagy by activating p21 pathway. Conversely, let-7e overexpression promoted cell proliferation and inhibited cell autophagy by suppressing p21 pathway. Our results indicate that increased let-7e levels in non-HA PCOS GCs may contribute to excessive follicular activation and growth, thereby involving in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Let-7e may thus be a potential therapeutic target in non-HA PCOS.
多囊卵巢综合征(PCOS)是一种常见的生殖期妇女内分泌和代谢紊乱疾病,其发病机制仍存在争议。最近的研究表明,微小 RNA(miRNAs)在 PCOS 的发展中起着至关重要的作用。let-7 家族 miRNAs 构成了人类颗粒细胞(GCs)中最丰富的 miRNAs,在卵泡发育中发挥着重要作用。然而,关于非高雄激素(non-HA)表型的 let-7e 意义的研究仍不清楚。本研究旨在确定 let-7e 在 PCOS 进展中的作用。我们通过实时定量 PCR 检测了 52 例非 HA PCOS 患者和 52 例对照的 let-7e 水平。利用受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线揭示了 let-7e 在非 HA PCOS 中的诊断价值。我们使用永生化的人颗粒细胞系 KGN,研究了 let-7e 对细胞增殖和自噬的影响。我们的数据证实了 let-7e 在非 HA PCOS 组中的表达显著增加,并与窦卵泡计数增加相关。ROC 曲线表明非 HA PCOS 组与对照组之间存在明显分离。let-7e 敲低通过激活 p21 通路抑制细胞增殖并增强细胞自噬。相反,let-7e 过表达通过抑制 p21 通路促进细胞增殖并抑制细胞自噬。我们的结果表明,非 HA PCOS GCs 中 let-7e 水平的升高可能导致卵泡过度激活和生长,从而参与 PCOS 的发病机制。let-7e 因此可能是非 HA PCOS 的一个潜在治疗靶点。