Investigation on the clinical value and potential mechanism of miR-127-3p in preeclampsia

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific condition characterized by hypertension and multiorgan dysfunction that can lead to severe maternal and perinatal complications. The miR-127-3p is downregulated in PE, but the mechanism of action in PE is not yet clear. METHODS: The study enrolled 113 PE patients and 93 healthy controls. The expression level of miR-127-3p was evaluated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), its correlation with clinical indicators of PE was analyzed by correlation analysis, and the diagnostic value of miR-127-3p in PE was evaluated by the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. In vitro, HTR8/SVneo cells were treated with hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and transfected with miR-127-3p mimics/inhibitors. The regulatory effects of miR-127-3p on the H/R-induced HTR8/SVneo model were verified by cell counting kit-8, Transwell, and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The interaction between KIF3B and miR-574-3p was confirmed through dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: The miR-127-3p expression was significantly downregulated in PE patients and correlated with the severity and outcomes of PE. ROC analysis showed that miR-127-3p had a significant diagnostic value in PE. In vitro, miR-127-3p overexpression could restore trophoblast proliferation and invasion ability, and suppress proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in HTR8/SVneo cells induced by H/R. KIF3B was confirmed as a downstream gene of miR-127-3p, and the regulatory relationship between miR-127-3p and KIF3B was confirmed. CONCLUSION: In PE, downregulated miR-127-3p expression correlating with PE severity and outcomes could be used as a biomarker for PE auxiliary diagnosis. In vitro, miR-127-3p overexpression enhances trophoblast function and inhibits the inflammatory responses.