Circular RNA Expression Profiling and Bioinformatic Analysis of Cumulus Cells in Endometriosis Infertility Patients

Abstract

Aim: To explore the circular RNA (circRNA) profile in cumulus cells from endometriosis-associated infertility patients. Methods: The expression of circRNAs was profiled by high-throughput sequencing. Sanger sequencing was performed to identify the backsplicing site. Six candidate circRNAs and their parental genes were measured in 30 samples by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chainreaction (qRT-PCR). Bioinformatics analysis was performed to predict the functions. Results: A total of 55 upregulated and 41 downregulated differentially expressed circRNAs were detected. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes data indicated that these target genes were mainly involved in cumulus cell growth- and differentiation-related pathways. Hsa_circ_0072391, hsa_circ_0007299 and hsa_circ_0057799 were significantly increased, and hsa_circ_001533 was significantly decreased in endometriosis-associated infertility patients. Conclusion: The differentially expressed circRNAs might be potentially involved in pathophysiology of endometriosis-associated infertility.

Graphical abstract

Keywords::

• bioinformatics analysis
• circRNAs
• circular RNA
• cumulus cells
• endometriosis-associated infertility patients
• expression profiling
• microRNA

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2020-0291

Financial&competing interests disclosure

This work was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (81701419 and 81871145), and by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (2019J01566 and 2019J01565). The authors have no other conflict of interest. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (81701419 and 81871145), and by the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (2019J01566 and 2019J01565). The authors have no other conflict of interest. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.