MicroRNA Expression Profiling in Women with Aborted Pregnancies and Its Association with Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection
Hawraa Ahmed Ali, Mohammed Sabri Abdul-Razzag, Milal Muhammad Al-JeborryAbstract
Background:
Abortion is a spontaneous termination of pregnancy with various causes, including infections like cytomegalovirus (CMV). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in gene regulation during pregnancy and are associated with abortion. Dysregulated miRNAs can impact pregnancy processes, immune responses, and hormonal regulation, contributing to abortion risk. Among viral miRNAs, miR-US25-1, and miR-UL112-5p encoded by HCMV have been implicated in immune evasion.
Objective:
This research investigates specific miRNA expression and relevance in abortion to identify diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for pregnancy complications. Understanding miRNA’s role in abortion is crucial for improving reproductive outcomes.
Materials and Methods:
A study at Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Iraq, Hilla, focused on 250 women who had abortions and 50 healthy married women. RNA purification and cDNA synthesis were performed.
Results:
Among the total number of samples, we found that 60 (30%) CMVs were positively obtained from women with abortion. The serological diagnosis by VIDAS technique for CMV-positive samples found that 6 (10%) samples were seropositive to CMV IgM, 14 (23.3%) samples were seropositive for both IgM and IgG, and 40 (66.7%) samples were seropositive for CMV IgG only. The study found that miR-US-25p and miR-UL112_5p genes were upregulated in women who had abortions with CMV compared to a control group. This suggests a possible link between these miRNAs and CMV-related abortions, but more research is needed to understand the implications.
Conclusion:
miR-US-25p and miR-UL112_5p were elevated in CMV-related abortions, suggesting their potential role in pregnancy complications and as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Further research is required to comprehend their mechanisms in abortion and reproductive health.