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microRNA Dysregulation in Prostate Cancer: Network Analysis Reveals Preferential Regulation of Highly Connected Nodes
Author(s) -
Budd William T.,
Weaver Danielle E.,
Anderson Joe,
Zehner Zendra E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
chemistry and biodiversity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1612-1880
pISSN - 1612-1872
DOI - 10.1002/cbdv.201100386
Subject(s) - microrna , carcinogenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , cell growth , regulation of gene expression , messenger rna , function (biology) , cell , argonaute , prostate cancer , cancer , computational biology , rna , gene , rna interference , genetics
microRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs shown to contribute to a number of cellular processes including cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. MiRNAs regulate gene expression of their targets post‐transcriptionally by binding to messenger RNA (mRNA), causing translational inhibition or mRNA degradation. Dysregulation of miRNA expression can promote cancer formation and progression. Research has largely focused on the function and expression of single miRNAs. However, complex physiological processes require the interaction, regulation and coordination of many molecules including miRNAs and proteins. Highly connected molecules often serve important roles in the cell. A proteinprotein interaction network of established miRNA targets confirmed these proteins to be highly connected and essential to the cell, affecting tumorigenesis, cell growth/proliferation, cellular death, cell assembly, and maintenance pathways. This analysis showed that miRNAs contribute to the overall health of the prostate, and their aberrant expression destabilized homeostatic balance. This integrative network approach can reveal important miRNAs and proteins in prostate cancer that will be useful to identify specific disease biomarkers, which may be used as targets for therapeutics or drugs in themselves.