Circular RNAs in endometriosis analyzed through RNA sequencing and bioinformatics for expression profile.

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis severely affects women's physical and mental health; it is particularly important to find targets for the treatment and diagnosis of endometriosis.

METHOD

This research aimed to investigate the circRNA expression pattern in endometriosis, a type of non-coding RNA that can modulate parental gene expression by acting as miRNA sponges. Through high-throughput sequencing, we analyzed the circRNA expression profile in endometriosis patients in comparison to individuals without the condition.

RESULTS

We detected 371 circular RNAs (circRNAs) showing increased expression and 308 circRNAs displaying decreased expression levels. To validate these findings, we employed quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to confirm the expression of the top three differential expressed circRNAs listed in circBase. We inferred potential roles of these differentially expressed circRNAs in endometriosis development by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Moreover, by examining the circRNA-microRNA-target gene network, we uncovered a plausible mechanism. Specifically, interactions involving the markedly upregulated hsa_circ_000005 and significantly downregulated hsa_circ_000011 with miR-5787 may influence downstream targets, potentially contributing to the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Our study offers a foundational and crucial circRNA expression profile within the framework of endometriosis.