MicroRNA and gene networks in human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Molecular biologists have collected considerable data regarding the involvement of genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer. However the underlying mechanisms of cancer with regard to genes and miRNAs remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and construct regulatory networks of genes and miRNAs to gradually reveal the underlying mechanisms of DLBCL development. The first differential expression network that is presented is an experimentally validated network of miRNAs and genes. This network presents known biological regulatory associations among miRNAs and genes in the human body. The second network is a DLBCL differential expression network. Differentially expressed gene and miRNA data regarding DLBCL were collected and, based on the first network and the differentially expressed data, the second network was inferred, which demonstrates the irregular regulatory associations that may lead to the occurrence of DLBCL. The third network is a DLBCL-associated network. This network is comprised of non-differentially expressed genes and miRNAs that contribute to numerous DLBCL processes. The similarities and differences among the three networks were extracted and compared to distinguish key regulatory associations; furthermore, important signaling pathways in DLBCL were identified. The present study partially clarified the pathogenesis of DLBCL and provided an improved understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms, as well as a potential treatment for DLBCL.