Identification of cancer-related miRNA-lncRNA biomarkers using a basic miRNA-lncRNA network

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196681
• Publication Date: 2018-05-01T17:38:41Z
• Authors: Guangle Zhang; Cong Pian; Zhi Chen; Jin Zhang; Mingmin Xu; Liangyun Zhang; Yuanyuan Chen
• Keywords: Science; Gene Expression Profiling; Q; R; 3. Good health; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; MicroRNAs; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Neoplasms; Biomarkers, Tumor; Medicine; Humans; Gene Regulatory Networks; RNA, Long Noncoding; Research Article

LncRNAs are regulatory noncoding RNAs that play crucial roles in many biological processes. The dysregulation of lncRNA is thought to be involved in many complex diseases; lncRNAs are often the targets of miRNAs in the indirect regulation of gene expression. Numerous studies have indicated that miRNA-lncRNA interactions are closely related to the occurrence and development of cancers. Thus, it is important to develop an effective method for the identification of cancer-related miRNA-lncRNA interactions. In this study, we compiled 155653 experimentally validated and predicted miRNA-lncRNA associations, which we defined as basic interactions. We next constructed an individual-specific miRNA-lncRNA network (ISMLN) for each cancer sample and a basic miRNA-lncRNA network (BMLN) for each type of cancer by examining the expression profiles of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database. We then selected potential miRNA-lncRNA biomarkers based on the BLMN. Using this method, we identified cancer-related miRNA-lncRNA biomarkers and modules specific to a certain cancer. This method of profiling will contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of cancers at the level of gene regulatory networks.