Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Hoeller, J.
MiRNAs in PCOS phenotypes
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2024. pp.
- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Obermayer-Pietsch Barbara
- Trummer Olivia
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine condition affecting women’s metabolic, reproductive, and psychological health. Global prevalence ranges from 4 to 21%, depending on the diagnostic criteria used. It is characterised by a combination of three key symptoms: clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism (HA), oligo- or anovulation (AO) and polycystic ovary morphology (PCOM). PCOS has a wide spectrum of different possible phenotypes, symptoms, and complications. Prior studies suggest that women affected by PCOS express specific micro RNAs (miRNAs) in various tissues. The aim of this study was to characterise altered miRNAs associated with PCOS in serum of women with specific PCOS phenotypes. Methods: We conducted a pilot study (n = 51), with 11 samples for phenotypes A, C and D, 10 samples for phenotype B and 8 samples for the control group. The laboratory methods performed were miRNA isolation, complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) with kits from Qiagen. We used Uni Sp 2/4/5/6 as exogenous controls, and we normalized with the mean of miR-484 and snu6 as endogenous control. After verifying the normal distribution and homogeneity of variances, one-way-ANOVA or a non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was performed, followed by Dunnet and Tukey post-hoc tests. The potential diagnostic value for discriminating a specific PCOS phenotype was calculated using area under the curve (AUC) and a receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Using TargetScanHuman 8.0 we identified potential target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs. Results: Women affected by PCOS exhibited significantly higher hormone levels, increased hirsutism scores and distinct hormone profiles across phenotypes. MiR-23a-3p and miR-424-5p showed altered expression in PCOS phenotypes, indicating a potential for differentiating between phenotypes. MiR-93-5p displayed lower expression in PCOS compared with control group, suggesting a potential marker to discriminate PCOS status. Discussion: Understanding the differential hormone and miRNA profiles across various PCOS phenotypes could pave the way for personalized treatments for specific imbalances or pathways associated with each phenotype. The identified miRNAs, such as miR-23a-3p and miR-424-5p, hold promise as potential biomarkers for distinguishing between specific PCOS phenotypes. These findings can contribute to a deeper understanding of the heterogeneity of PCOS, influencing future research and potentially improving diagnostic and treatment strategies for women affected by PCOS. More research in larger cohorts is important to reevaluate our findings and its clinical implication for affected women.