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The role of microRNAs in human embryo implantation: a review

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as important in human embryo implantation, and we present here a review of the literature from a clinical perspective. Implantation involves complex interactions between the blastocyst and endometrium. miRNAs have been shown to be differentially expressed in implanted compared with non-implanted blastocysts and euploid compared with aneuploid blastocysts. Further, miRNAs are differentially expressed in proliferative compared with decidualized endometrium, and in receptive compared with pre-receptive endometrium. miRNAs are also differentially expressed in endometrium of women who failed implantation, and in endometrium of women with recurrent implantation failure. Due to the complexity of miRNA signaling, studies have suffered from inconsistency in reproducibility of results. However, miRNAs show potential as biomarkers in the pursuit of more reliable prediction of embryo implantation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K1H 8M5, Canada

    Anthea B. M. Paul

  2. The Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, 601 Colley Ave., Norfolk, VA, 23507, USA

    Seifeldin T. Sadek & Arnold M. Mahesan

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  1. Anthea B. M. Paul
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  2. Seifeldin T. Sadek
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  3. Arnold M. Mahesan
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Correspondence to Arnold M. Mahesan.

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Paul, A.B.M., Sadek, S.T. & Mahesan, A.M. The role of microRNAs in human embryo implantation: a review. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 179–187 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1326-y

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