Circulating serum miR-200c and miR-34a-5p as diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis

Objective: Endometriosis is defined by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma grow in areas outside the uterus. A simple blood test for endometriosis-specific biomarkers would offer a more timely accurate diagnosis of the disease and could lead to earlier treatment intervention. Alterations in microRNA (miRNA) levels in blood may reflect changes during normal physiologic processes and have been related to several pathologic conditions, including gynecologic diseases. In the present study, we aim to evaluate the level of serum miR-34a-5p and miR-200c from women with and without endometriosis, and to explore the potential of miRNAs as reliable non-invasive biomarkers in the diagnosis of endometriosis.

Methods: Expression levels of miRNAs were performed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Serum cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) levels were analyzed by autoanalyzer.

Results: miR-34a-5p expression levels were decreased and miR-200c expression levels were increased in the endometriosis patients compared to the control group. According to the areas under the ROC curve (AUC) values, miR-200c and miR-34a-5p may serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of endometriosis. Serum miR-34a-5p and miR-200c had a sensitivity of 78.95 % and 100 % and a specificity of 49.12 % and 100 %, respectively, for the detection of endometriosis.

Conclusion: Serum miRNAs may provide a promising opportunity for diagnosis of endometriosis. Understanding the role of circulating miRNAs will serve a better comprehension of the systemic effects of endometriosis and offer options for new treatments. It is clear that more work is needed in this area.