title: MicroRNAs, immune cells and pregnancy.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a recently discovered class of non-coding RNAs that are expressed in many cell types, where they regulate the expression of complementary RNAs, thus modulating the stability and translation of mRNAs. miRNAs are predicted to regulate the expression of ∼50% of all protein coding genes in mammals. Therefore, they participate in virtually all cellular processes investigated so far. Altered miRNAs expressions are associated with both physiological (pregnancy) and pathological processes (cancer). As the dynamic maternal-fetal interface plays a critical role in the maintenance of successful pregnancy, it is not surprising that the miRNAs that are unique to reproductive tissues are abundantly expressed. Research in this field has demonstrated the presence and dysregulation of a distinct set of pregnancy-associated miRNAs; however, most studies have centered on localizing various miRNAs in reproductive microdomains associated with normal or complicated pregnancies. Although several independent miRNA regulatory mechanisms associated with endometrial receptivity, immune cells, angiogenesis and placental development have been studied, miRNA-mediated regulation of pregnancy remains poorly understood. This review provides a summary of the current data on miRNA regulation as well as functional profiles of miRNAs that are found in the uterus, in immune cells associated with maternal tolerance to the fetus, and those involved in angiogenesis and placental development.
authors: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Canada.
authors: Mallikarjun
authors: M
authors: Bidarimath
authors: 1] Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Canada [2] Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada.
authors: Kasra
authors: K
authors: Khalaj
authors: 1] Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada [2] Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada.
authors: Jocelyn M
authors: JM
authors: Wessels
authors: 1] Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ont., Canada [2] Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada.
authors: Chandrakant
authors: C
authors: Tayade
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs