Association of microRNAs with embryo development and fertilization in women undergoing subfertility treatments: a pilot study

Objective: Small non-coding RNAs, known as microRNAs (miRNAs), have emerging regulatory functions within the ovary that have been related to fertility. This study was undertaken to determine if circulating miRNAs reflect the changes associated with the parameters of embryo development and fertilization. Methods: In this cross-sectional pilot study. Plasma miRNAs were collected from 48 sequentially presenting women in the follicular phase prior to commencing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Circulating miRNAs were measured using locked nucleic acid (LNA)-based quantitative PCR (qPCR), while an updated miRNA data set was used to determine their level of expression. Results: Body mass index and weight were associated with the miRNAs let7b-3p and miR-375, respectively (p p p = 0.007), while miR-365a-3p, miR122-5p, and miR-34a-5p correlated with embryo fertilization rates (p n = 15), miR122-5p remained significant (p p = 0.0087/0.02, respectively). Furthermore, age was negatively associated with miR-335-3p, miR-28-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-501-3p, and miR-497-5p (p p p = 0.042). A beta-regression model identified miR-1260a, miR-486-5p, and miR-132-3p (p p = 0.0003, p Conclusion: Plasma miRNAs prior to the IVF cycle were associated with differing demographic and IVF parameters, including age, and may be predictive biomarkers of fertilization rate.