circPE1是我们借助基因芯片技术获得的、人鼠高度同源的、差异高表达于子痫前期患者胎盘组织的circRNA。前期研究发现circPE1过表达可降低滋养细胞侵袭力参与子痫前期发病，机制分析提示circPE1的作用与miR-18a释放对下游靶基因HIF1α的抑制作用有关。因此，我们提出“circPE1竞争性结合miR-18a上调HIF1α表达，降低滋养细胞侵袭力，参与子痫前期发病”的科学假说。本研究拟运用过表达和沉默的实验策略，通过体外和体内实验研究论证circPE1调控滋养细胞侵袭力参与子痫前期发病；以miR-18a-HIF1α为机制线索，运用RIP、RNA-pull down、双荧光素酶报告基因实验结合挽救实验策略，深入阐明circPE1的作用机制。鉴于circPE1的功能与机制未见报道，研究有望为子痫前期防治提供新靶点。

circPE1 is a highly expressed circRNA identified from placentas of patients with preeclampsia though microarray analysis. The sequences of circPE1 share the highest identity between human and mouse. Preliminary experiments confirmed that overexpression of circPE1 could reduce the invasiveness of human trophoblast cells. Mechanism analysis indicates that circPE1 sequestrated miR-18a to relieve its suppression on HIF1α. Based on these results, we propose the following hypothesis: circPE1 reduces the invasiveness of trophoblast cells though competitively combining with miR-18a and recovering the expression HIF1α, which may involves the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Presently, we intend to demonstrate the function of circPE1 using overexpression and knockdown strategies in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, RIP、RNA-pull down and luciferase reporter genes analysis will be conducted to elucidate the detailed mechanism of circPE1 interacted with miR-18a-HIF1α. So far there is no report of circPE1 related to preeclampsia, and it may provide new intervention targets for prevention of preeclampsia.