Abstract
Objective: The review of recent literature performed with the goal to find novel biomarkers which would be able in combination with actual approaches to contribute to early pre-eclampsia (PE) detection. Attention has been paid namely to biomarkers which are detectable by methodologies of molecular genetics - microRNA (miRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and alterations in methylation status of gene promoters with activities playing key roles in PE development.
Design: Review. Setting: Department of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague.
Methods: Review of articles in PubMed database published till March 2018. Results: In patients who developed PE, elevated levels of miR-210. miR-155, miR-16 and miR-181a were repeatedly detected.
Lower values than in control subjects were found in miR-223. Exosomes represent one of the main sources of microRNA in blood - they may originate from placenta and also from blood cells themselves.
Among lncRNAs at the level of placenta tissue, the following molecules for further study were selected: LOC391533, LOC284100, CEACAMP8, RPAIN, SPRY4-IT 1 and lncRNA Uc.187 with elevated expression and MEG3, STOX2-IT3, lncRNA-ATB and MALAT-1 with decreased expression. Alterations in promoter methylation were found also in placental tissue for examples in genes HLA-G, MTHFR, HERVWE 1, GNA12 or SERPINA3.
Conclusion: For all above mentioned potential biomarkers, it was possible to find the functional links to the complex process of pathogenesis of PE. With regard to the practical use, miR-210 transported in exosomes and having elevated levels in PE patients seems to be most suitable for potential widening of the recent palette of biomarkers.