MiR-17-5p promoter methylation regulated by DNA methyltransferase 3 beta (DNMT3B) expedites endometriosis via the Krüppel-like factor 12 (KLF12)/Wnt/β-catenin axis

Circulating microRNAs as Non-Invasive Biomarkers in Endometriosis Diagnosis-A Systematic Review

The aim of this systematic review is to assess the power of circulating miRNAs as biomarkers as a diagnostic tool in endometriosis. In endometriosis-suspected women with uncertain imaging, the only way to confirm or exclude endometriosis with certainty is currently laparoscopy. This creates a need for non-invasive diagnostics. We searched the literature through the PubMed database using the Mesh terms 'endometriosis' and 'miRNAs'. Some, but limited, overlap was found between the 32 articles included, with a total of 20 miRNAs reported as dysregulated in endometriosis in two or more studies. MiR-17-5p was reported as dysregulated in six studies, followed by miR-451a and let-7b-5p in four studies and miR-20a-5p, miR-143-3p, miR-199a-5p and miR-3613-5p in three studies. Furthermore, a possible impact of the menstrual phase on miRNA expression was noted in five studies, while no influence of hormonal intake was observed in any included study. The modest reproducibility between studies may be attributable to biological variability as well as to the lack of universal protocols, resulting in pre- and analytical variability. Despite the identification of several suitable candidate biomarkers among the miRNAs, the need for high-quality studies with larger and well-defined population cohorts and the use of standardized protocols lingers.

Therapeutic targets for endometriosis: Genome-wide Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis (EM) greatly affects women's reproductive health, identifying new drug targets for EM is urgently needed. This study utilizes comprehensive genome-wide Mendelian randomization (MR) and colocalization analyses, using genomic data, to identify potential therapeutic approaches for EM.

METHODS

Genome-wide cis-expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTL) data were obtained from GTEx V8, which included 838 participants across 49 tissues or cells, and the eQTLGen consortium, which included 31,684 participants. Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) data for EM were sourced from the FinnGen study, which consisted of 8,288 cases and 68,969 controls, as well as the UK Biobank study, which included 1,496 cases and 359,698 controls. This study utilized MR analysis to assess the correlation between genes and the risk of EM. Subsequently, colocalization analysis was conducted to investigate potential shared causal variants between the identified genes and EM.

RESULTS

After conducting MR and colocalization analyses, we identified a total of 13 genes that showed significant evidence of colocalization. These genes are considered promising therapeutic candidates for treating EM. Among them, inner membrane mitochondrial protein (IMMT), src kinase associated phosphoprotein 1 (SKAP1), lysine methyltransferase 5A (KMT5A), KLF transcription factor 12 (KLF12), GRB10 interacting GYF protein 1 (GIGYF1), Wnt family member 7A (WNT7A), Sad1 and UNC84 domain containing 1 (SUN1), and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase family member 3 (PARP3) were found to have positive associations with the risk of EM. On the other hand, progestin and adipoQ receptor family member 8 (PAQR8), adaptor related protein complex 3 subunit mu 1 (AP3M1), surfeit 6 (SURF6), TUB bipartite transcription factor (TUB), and DNA polymerase delta interacting protein 2 (POLDIP2) were found to have inverse relationships with the risk of EM.

CONCLUSIONS

Through genome-wide MR studies, a comprehensive set of genes associated with EM has been identified. Among them, IMMT, PAQR8, SKAP1, KMT5A, AP3M1, SURF6, KLF12, GIGYF1, TUB, WNT7A, SUN1, POLDIP2, and PARP3 show potential as therapeutic targets for EM treatment. Nonetheless, it is crucial to conduct further rigorous investigations to validate these prospects.