Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma

Let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199 a/b have gained a great attention as master regulators for cellular processes. In particular, these three micro-RNAs act as potential onco-suppressors for hepatocellular carcinoma. Bioinformatics can reveal the functionality of these micro-RNAs through target prediction...

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Main Authors: Bangly Soliman, Ahmed Salem, Mohamed Ghazy, Nourhan Abu-Shahba, Mahmoud El Hefnawi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2018-05-01
Series:Tumor Biology
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428318773675
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author Bangly Soliman
Ahmed Salem
Mohamed Ghazy
Nourhan Abu-Shahba
Mahmoud El Hefnawi
author_facet Bangly Soliman
Ahmed Salem
Mohamed Ghazy
Nourhan Abu-Shahba
Mahmoud El Hefnawi
author_sort Bangly Soliman
collection DOAJ
description Let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199 a/b have gained a great attention as master regulators for cellular processes. In particular, these three micro-RNAs act as potential onco-suppressors for hepatocellular carcinoma. Bioinformatics can reveal the functionality of these micro-RNAs through target prediction and functional annotation analysis. In the current study, in silico analysis using innovative servers (miRror Suite, DAVID, miRGator V3.0, GeneTrail) has demonstrated the combinatorial and the individual target genes of these micro-RNAs and further explored their roles in hepatocellular carcinoma progression. There were 87 common target messenger RNAs (p ≤ 0.05) that were predicted to be regulated by the three micro-RNAs using miRror 2.0 target prediction tool. In addition, the functional enrichment analysis of these targets that was performed by DAVID functional annotation and REACTOME tools revealed two major immune-related pathways, eight hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks–linked pathways, and two pathways that mediate interconnected processes between immune system and hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks. Moreover, protein–protein interaction network for the predicted common targets was obtained by using STRING database. The individual analysis of target genes and pathways for the three micro-RNAs of interest using miRGator V3.0 and GeneTrail servers revealed some novel predicted target oncogenes such as SOX4, which we validated experimentally, in addition to some regulated pathways of immune system and hepatocarcinogenesis such as insulin signaling pathway and adipocytokine signaling pathway. In general, our results demonstrate that let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199 a/b have novel interactions in different immune system pathways and major hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks. Thus, our findings shed more light on the roles of these miRNAs as cancer silencers.
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spelling doaj-art-f45a3638748a4e8ca9edff936744487f2025-08-20T03:57:52ZengSAGE PublishingTumor Biology1423-03802018-05-014010.1177/1010428318773675Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinomaBangly Soliman0Ahmed Salem1Mohamed Ghazy2Nourhan Abu-Shahba3Mahmoud El Hefnawi4Informatics and Systems Department, Biomedical Informatics and Chemo-Informatics Group, Centre of Excellence for Advanced Sciences (CEAS), Division of Engineering Research, National Research Centre, Cairo, EgyptDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, EgyptDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, EgyptStem Cells Research Group, Medical Centre of Excellence, Medical Molecular Genetics Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, EgyptCentre for Informatics, Nile University, Sheikh Zayed City, EgyptLet-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199 a/b have gained a great attention as master regulators for cellular processes. In particular, these three micro-RNAs act as potential onco-suppressors for hepatocellular carcinoma. Bioinformatics can reveal the functionality of these micro-RNAs through target prediction and functional annotation analysis. In the current study, in silico analysis using innovative servers (miRror Suite, DAVID, miRGator V3.0, GeneTrail) has demonstrated the combinatorial and the individual target genes of these micro-RNAs and further explored their roles in hepatocellular carcinoma progression. There were 87 common target messenger RNAs (p ≤ 0.05) that were predicted to be regulated by the three micro-RNAs using miRror 2.0 target prediction tool. In addition, the functional enrichment analysis of these targets that was performed by DAVID functional annotation and REACTOME tools revealed two major immune-related pathways, eight hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks–linked pathways, and two pathways that mediate interconnected processes between immune system and hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks. Moreover, protein–protein interaction network for the predicted common targets was obtained by using STRING database. The individual analysis of target genes and pathways for the three micro-RNAs of interest using miRGator V3.0 and GeneTrail servers revealed some novel predicted target oncogenes such as SOX4, which we validated experimentally, in addition to some regulated pathways of immune system and hepatocarcinogenesis such as insulin signaling pathway and adipocytokine signaling pathway. In general, our results demonstrate that let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199 a/b have novel interactions in different immune system pathways and major hepatocellular carcinoma hallmarks. Thus, our findings shed more light on the roles of these miRNAs as cancer silencers.https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428318773675
spellingShingle Bangly Soliman
Ahmed Salem
Mohamed Ghazy
Nourhan Abu-Shahba
Mahmoud El Hefnawi
Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
Tumor Biology
title Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_full Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_fullStr Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_full_unstemmed Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_short Bioinformatics functional analysis of let-7a, miR-34a, and miR-199a/b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
title_sort bioinformatics functional analysis of let 7a mir 34a and mir 199a b reveals novel insights into immune system pathways and cancer hallmarks for hepatocellular carcinoma
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1010428318773675
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