REVIEW   

Minerva Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024 February;76(1):43-8

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-606X.22.05109-0

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Trophoblast microRNAs, pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction

Elisa SPATARO ¹ ✉, Lucia PASQUINI ¹, Cristina LUCERI ², Felice PETRAGLIA ¹

¹ Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy; ² Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that play a role in regulating gene expression in a tissue-specific manner. Placental miRNAs expression pattern dynamically changes during pregnancy influencing cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. Changes of specific miRNA levels have been described in pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders or gestational diabetes and a growing interest in understanding miRNA role on placental development and placental disorders is currently going on. The present review evaluates the possible roles of miRNAs in trophoblastic invasion and placental development as well as their potential role as biomarkers for the prediction of placental disorders focusing the attention on intrauterine growth restriction.

KEY WORDS: Placenta; Trophoblasts; MicroRNAs; Fetal growth retardation