title: Aberration of blastocyst microRNA expression is associated with human infertility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine human blastocyst microRNA (miRNA) expression in correlation with human infertility. MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression via mechanisms such as degradation and translational suppression of targeted messenger RNAs. Recent data has pointed to the importance of miRNAs in disease states and during mouse embryo development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonprofit research foundation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transferable quality human blastocysts donated with consent to research (n = 40).
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative real-time PCR.
  
  
  METHODS
  MicroRNA expression profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Morphologically similar blastocysts derived from patients with polycystic ovaries or male factor infertility exhibited a significant decrease in the expression of six miRNAs in comparison with donor fertile control blastocysts (P < 0.05). Annotation of predicted gene targets for these differentially expressed miRNAs included gene ontology (GO) biological processes involved in cell growth and maintenance and transcription as well as GO molecular functions implicated in nucleic acid binding and signal transducer activity. Three predicted miRNA target genes were selected for analysis and demonstrated significant altered expression consistent with aberrant miRNA profiles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study describes for the first time that transferable quality blastocysts derived from infertile patients (male factor infertility and polycystic ovaries) possess aberrant miRNA profiles. With growing evidence indicating the importance of miRNAs during development, an association may exist with human infertility.
authors.affiliation: Colorado Foundation for Fertility Research, Lone Tree, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Blair
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McCallie
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Schoolcraft
authors.forename: Mandy G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Katz-Jaffe
mesh_terms: D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs