Transcription factors and microRNA-co-regulated genes in gastric cancer invasion in ex vivo

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 10;10(4):e0122882. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122882. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Aberrant miRNA expression abnormally modulates gene expression in cells and can contribute to tumorigenesis in humans. This study identified functionally relevant differentially expressed genes using the transcription factors and miRNA-co-regulated network analysis for gastric cancer. The TF-miRNA co-regulatory network was constructed based on data obtained from cDNA microarray and miRNA expression profiling of gastric cancer tissues. The network along with their co-regulated genes was analyzed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and Transcriptional Regulatory Element Database (TRED). We found eighteen (17 up-regulated and 1 down-regulated) differentially expressed genes that were co-regulated by transcription factors and miRNAs. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that these genes were part of the extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and focal adhesion signaling pathways. In addition, qRT- PCR and Western blot data showed an increase in COL1A1 and decrease in NCAM1 mRNA and protein levels in gastric cancer tissues. Thus, these data provided the first evidence to illustrate that altered gene network was associated with gastric cancer invasion. Further study with a large sample size and more functional experiments is needed to confirm these data and contribute to diagnostic and treatment strategies for gastric cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Area Under Curve
  • CD56 Antigen / genetics
  • CD56 Antigen / metabolism
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Collagen Type I / genetics
  • Collagen Type I / metabolism
  • Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain
  • Databases, Factual
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Regulatory Networks
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • ROC Curve
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics
  • Stomach Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • CD56 Antigen
  • Collagen Type I
  • Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain
  • MicroRNAs
  • NCAM1 protein, human
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transcription Factors

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (#81320108025 and #81472662). It is also supported in part by National Natural Science Foundation of China (#81271897 and #81401712), Jilin Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Foundation of Jilin Province Science and Technology Department (#20130522013JH and #20140414048GH) and the Norman Bethune Program of Jilin University (#2012219).