Advances of Long Noncoding RNAs-mediated Regulation in Reproduction

• Published in: Chinese medical journal Vol. 131; no. 2; pp. 226 - 234
• Main Authors: Liu, Kang-Sheng, Li, Tai-Ping, Ton, Hua, Mao, Xiao-Dong, Chen, Ya-Jun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: China Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 20.01.2018; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies; Department of Clinical Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China%Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Friendship Plastic Surgery Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China%Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China%Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing,Jiangsu 210028, China; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer
• Subjects: Animal reproduction; Cell growth; Cervical cancer; Cumulus Cell; Long Noncoding RNAs; Placentation; Reproductive Diseases; Disease; DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Female; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes; Genital Neoplasms, Female - genetics; Genomes; Gynecology; Hospitals; Humans; Infertility; Laboratories; Male; Medicine; Metastasis; Molecular biology; Obstetrics; Ovarian cancer; Proteins; Reproduction (Biology); Reproduction - physiology; Reproductive health; Review; RNA polymerase; RNA, Long Noncoding - physiology; Spermatogenesis; Stem cells; Long Noncoding RNAs; Cumulus Cell; Placentation; Reproductive Diseases
• ISSN: 0366-6999; 2542-5641
• DOI: 10.4103/0366-6999.222337

Objective: Advances in genomics and molecular biology have led to the discovery of a large group of uncharacterized long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Emerging evidence indicated that many lncRNAs function in multiple biological processes and its dysregulation often causes diseases. Recent studies suggested that almost all regulatory lncRNAs interact with biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and protein. LncRNAs regulate gene expression mainly on three levels, including epigenetic modification, transcription, and posttranscription, through DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling. LncRNAs can also affect the development of diseases and therefore be used to diagnose and treat diseases. With new sequencing and microarray techniques, hundreds of lncRNAs involved in reproductive disorders have been identified, but their functions in these disorders are undefined. Data Sources: This review was based on articles published in PubMed databases up to July 10, 2017, with the following keywords: "long noncoding RNAs", "LncRNA", "placentation", and "reproductive diseases". Study Selection: Original articles and reviews on the topics were selected. Results: LncRNAs widely participate in various physiological and pathological processes as a new class of important regulatory factors. In spermatogenesis, spermatocytes divide and differentiate into mature spermatozoa. The whole process is elaborately regulated by the expression of phase-specific genes that involve many strains of lncRNAs. Literature showed that lncRNA in reproductive cumulus cells may contribute to the regulation of oocyte maturation, fertilization, and embryo development. Conclusions: LncRNA has been found to play a role in the development of reproduction. Meanwhile, we reviewed the studies on how lncRNAs participate in reproductive disorders, which provides a basis for the study of lncRNA in reproduction regulation.