The levels of hypoxia-regulated microRNAs in plasma of pregnant women with fetal growth restriction

The levels of miRNAs in plasma samples from non-pregnant and pregnant women. Box plots of the log-transformed relative values by RT-qPCR, normalized to the median of the levels in the control (non-pregnant women). RNA samples were extracted from plasma samples, obtained from non-pregnant women (n = 10) or uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 11). Base-2 logarithms of expression values are plotted. Each box shows the variance of relative values of miRNAs with the lower boundary indicating the 25th percentile, the line within the box indicating the median, and the upper edge marking the 75th percentile. Upper and lower whisker caps indicate the 95th and 5th percentiles. Outliers are indicated by circles. * denotes miRNA species that are significantly different in the plasma of non-pregnant women and pregnant women (adjusted p value ≤0.05).

Relative miRNA levels in plasma from normal vs FGR pregnancies. Box plots of the base-2 log-transformed relative values by RT-qPCR, analyzed and plotted as described in the legend to Fig. 1. RNA samples were extracted from plasma samples obtained from uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 14) or FGR pregnancies (n = 14). Note that the levels of all miRNA species, considered as a single group, were higher by 1.8-fold in FGR than in control plasma samples (p ≤ 0.01).

Relative miRNA levels in the normal vs FGR placentas. Box plots of the base-2 log-transformed relative values by RT-qPCR, analyzed and plotted as described in the legend to Fig. 1, and normalized to RNU6B levels. RNA samples were extracted from placental biopsies, obtained from uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 4) or FGR pregnancies (n = 5). Data are presented as described in Fig. 1. Note that the levels of all miRNA species, considered as a single group, were lower by 24% in FGR than in control plasma samples (p ≤ 0.01).

The relative change of miRNA levels from plasma vs placental samples in pregnancies complicated by FGR. Plot of the log-transformed ratio of miRNA levels in plasma vs placental samples in FGR/control, measured by RT-qPCR. Base-2 logarithms of ratio are plotted. The dotted line is the regression line for the entire set of miRNAs (r = −0.7; p ≤ 0.01).