Analysis of Exosomal lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA Expression Profiles and ceRNA Network Construction in Endometriosis

Abstract

<b>Aim:</b> To investigate exosomal RNAs (long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs)) profiling and their related networks in endometriosis (EMs). <b>Materials & methods:</b> RNA sequence was performed in exosomes from ovarian endometriomas (EC), eutopic endometria (EU) and normal endometria (Control) stromal cells. The bioinformatics algorithms evaluated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. The top-ranked ceRNA networks were confirmed by RT-PCR. <b>Results:</b> Overlapped differentially expressed 938 lncRNAs, 39 miRNAs and 1449 mRNAs were identified. 13 co-expression modules and 61 ceRNA networks were constructed. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study for the first time shows exosomal RNA biomarkers and lncRNA-related networks in EMs, which reveals a novel molecular mechanism of EMs and provides new resources for EM diagnosis and treatment.