Long non-coding RNA NR_002794 is upregulated in pre-eclampsia and regulates the proliferation, apoptosis and invasion of trophoblast cells

Pre-eclampsia is a common complication during pregnancy, characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. The pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia is not fully understood. Studies on the maternal spiral artery have led scientists to consider that the ineffective infiltration of placental trophoblast cells may be a primary cause of pre-eclampsia. The present study aimed to investigate the differences in the profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) between the placentas of patients with pre-eclampsia and those of healthy pregnant women. The involvement of the differentially expressed lncRNAs in the biological activity of trophoblast cells was also assessed. A total of 26 differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified between the pre-eclampsia and healthy groups. Upregulation of NR_002794 was found in tissues from patients with pre-eclampsia. In SWAN71 trophoblast cells, NR_002794 had suppressive effects on proliferation and migration, and resulted in an increased rate of apoptosis. Furthermore, lncRNA NR_002794 had no effect on the phagocytosis of trophoblast cells. The present study suggested that abnormal levels of NR_002794 may lead to atypical conditions in trophoblast cells, which may be associated with the failure of maternal spiral artery remodeling during pregnancy and, consequently, with the development of pre-eclampsia.