微小RNA在卵巢颗粒细胞中的研究进展

Research Progress in MicroRNAs in Ovarian Granulosa Cells

微小RNA(microRNAs,miRNAs)是一类内源性非编码RNA,可以在转录后水平通过对靶基因的调控,影响蛋白质的表达,其参与调节各个环节的细胞生命活动。特定的miRNAs低表达、过表达或者变异都可能引起细胞功能的异常。卵巢颗粒细胞是卵泡中最重要的体细胞,其围绕在卵母细胞周围,可合成多种激素及生长因子,并表达其受体,通过缝隙连接调控卵泡膜细胞和卵母细胞的生长、分化和成熟,进而调控卵泡的发育。MiRNAs在卵泡发育过程中的作用除了miRNAs对卵母细胞的直接作用外,其在颗粒细胞中的调控作用也尤为重要。研究发现,miRNAs在卵巢颗粒细胞的增殖与分化、凋亡、性激素分泌等过程中发挥重要的作用。本文综述近年卵巢颗粒细胞中miRNAs的研究进展。

MicroRNAs(miRNAs), a kind of endogenous non-coding RNA, can affect the expression of protein by regulating the target gene at the post transcriptional level. MiRNAs involve in the regulation of biological activities of cells in all respects. The low expression, high expression or mutation of specific miRNAs can cause cell dysfunction. Ovarian granulosa cells, the most important somatic cells in follicles which surrounding the oocytes, can synthesize various hormones, growth factors and express their receptors. Those hormones and factors regulate the growth, differentiation and maturation of follicular theca cells and oocytes through gap junction,and then regulate the development of follicles. In addition to the direct effect of miRNAs on oocytes, the regulatory role of miRNAs in granulosa cells is particularly important. It has been found that miRNAs play important roles in the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells, as well as the secretion of sex hormones.In this paper, we reviewed the research progress of miRNAs in ovarian granulosa cells in recent years.