title: Altered expression of miRNAs in the uterus from a letrozole-induced rat PCOS model.
abstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) causes female subfertility with ovarian disorders and may be associated with increased rate of early-pregnancy failure. Rat PCOS models were established using letrozole to understand the uterine pathogenesis of PCOS. The differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) was observed in rat uterus with PCOS. After estrous cycles were disrupted, significantly abnormal ovarian morphology and hormone level were observed in rats with PCOS. A total of 148 miRNAs differentially expressed were identified in the uterus from the letrozole-induced rat model compared with the control. These miRNAs included 111 upregulated miRNAs and 37 downregulated miRNAs. The differential expression of miR-484, miR-375-3p, miR-324-5p, and miR-223-3p was further confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Bioinformatic analysis showed that these four miRNAs were predicted to regulate a large number of genes with different functions. Pathway analysis supported that target genes of miRNAs were involved in insulin secretion and signaling pathways, such as wnt, AMPK, PI3K-Akt, and Ras. These data indicated that miRNAs differentially expressed in rat uterus with PCOS may be associated with PCOS pathogenesis in the uterus. Our findings can help clarify the mechanism of uterine defects in PCOS.
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Chunjin
authors: C
authors: Li
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shuxiong
authors: S
authors: Chen
authors: Reproductive Medical Center, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lulu
authors: L
authors: Fu
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yanwen
authors: Y
authors: Jiang
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Gao
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Zhuo
authors: Z
authors: Liu
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Fengge
authors: F
authors: Wang
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xiaoling
authors: X
authors: Zhu
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jiahui
authors: J
authors: Rao
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Zhang
authors: College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, 5333 Xian Road, Changchun, Jilin 130062, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: xzhou65@vip.sina.com.
authors: Xu
authors: X
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004971:Estrus / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D014230:Triazoles / Q000633:toxicity; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077289:Letrozole
keywords: PCOS; Rat; Uterus; microRNAs