Highly expressed microRNA-940 promotes early abortion by regulating placenta implantation by targeting ZNF672.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Our study aims to explore whether microRNA-940 could participate in early abortion by inhibiting placenta implantation and its underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Expressions of microRNA-940 and ZNF672 in the placental villi of 6 early abortion pregnancies and 6 normal pregnancies were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Expressions of microRNA-940 and ZNF672 in trophoblast cells (BeWo, JEG3, Wish and HTR-8) were also detected. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to detect the effect of microRNA-940 on the proliferation of trophoblast cells after being transfected with microRNA-940 inhibitor or mimics, respectively. Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay were conducted to demonstrate the binding condition of microRNA-940 to ZNF672. RESULTS: MicroRNA-940 was highly expressed in placental villi of early abortion pregnancies, whereas ZNF672 was lowly expressed. HTR-8 cells expressed the highest level and BeWo cells expressed the lowest level of microRNA-940. After transfection of microRNA-940 inhibitor in HTR-8 cells, the proliferative capacity was remarkably increased. On the contrary, the transfection of microRNA-940 mimic downregulated the proliferation of BeWo cells. Dual-Luciferase reporter gene assay demonstrated that microRNA-940 targets ZNF672. RIP results further indicated that microRNA-940 binds to ZNF672. CONCLUSIONS: MicroRNA-940 is highly expressed in the placental villi of early abortion pregnancies and promotes the occurrence of early abortion by inhibiting the proliferation of trophoblast cells by targeting ZNF672.