title: Enhanced miR-210 expression promotes the pathogenesis of endometriosis through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  What are the roles of the microRNA miR-210-an miRNA that is up-regulated in endometriotic cyst stromal cells (ECSCs)-in the pathogenesis of endometriosis?
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up-regulated miR-210 expression in ECSCs is involved in their proliferation, resistance to apoptosis and angiogenesis through signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In the pathogenesis of endometriosis, a number of roles for microRNAs (miRNAs) are becoming apparent.
  
  
  METHODS
  ECSCs and normal endometrial stromal cells (NESCs) were isolated from ovarian endometriotic tissues (patients aged 24-40 years undergoing salpingo-oophorectomy or evisceration for the treatment of ovarian endometriotic cysts, n = 10) and the eutopic endometrial tissues without endometriosis (premenopausal patients aged 35-45 years undergoing hysterectomies for subserousal leiomyoma, n = 13), respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a global gene expression microarray technique to identify downstream targets of miR-210, and we assessed the functions of miR-210 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis by using the miR-210-transfected NESCs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gene expression microarray analysis revealed that one of the key target molecules of miR-210 is STAT3. In the NESCs, in comparison to the control, miR-210 transfection resulted in the induction of cell proliferation (P < 0.0005), the production of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) (P < 0.0005) and the inhibition of apoptosis (P < 0.05) through STAT3 activation [increased levels of mRNA (P < 0.0005), and protein (P < 0.005)]. In the ECSCs, inhibitors of STAT3 inhibited the cell proliferation and VEGF production (P < 0.05), and induced the apoptosis of these cells (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The roles of aberrant miR-210 expression were investigated only in the stromal component of ectopic and eutopic endometrium. Control endometrial tissues were obtained from premenopausal patients who had subserosal leiomyoma and NESC gene expression patterns may be altered in these women. Furthermore, the effects of STAT3 inhibitors were evaluated only in ECSCs and not in NESCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present findings indicate that miR-210 induces NESCs to differentiate into the endometriotic phenotype and we speculate that up-regulated miR-210 expression in ECSCs is involved in the creation of the endometriosis-specific cellular dysfunctions through epigenetic mechanisms. The data indicate that STAT3 inhibitors may be promising candidates for the treatment of endometriosis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This work was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (no. 13237327 to K.N., no. 25861500 to Y.K. and no. 23592407 to H.N.). There are no conflicts of interest to declare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Support System for Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan nasu@oita-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Narahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020032:Tyrphostins / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C543800:MIRN210 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D011725:Pyridines; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D020032:Tyrphostins; C519885:WP1066
keywords: endometriosis; microRNA; signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; vascular endothelial growth factor