Role of miR-21 mediated transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway in pathogenesis of endometriosis

The pathogenesis of endometriosis is not clear.Fibrosis may be an important aspect of mechanism of endometriosis.Research revealed that miR-21 played an important regulatory role in the fibrosis formation.Meanwhile,fibrogenic factor transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)may be involved in multiple processes of endometriosis formation,and closely related to the degree of fibrosis.TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway is the key pathway of fibrosis progression,and may also be involved in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases.Therefore,there are many questions to be clarified.For example,whether MiR-21 is associated with the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway;whether it is involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis through this pathway;what is its role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis;and whether regulation of miR-21 could become a new therapy strategy for endometriosis.A literature review will be made in this paper with the focus on the above issues.