Identification of hub miRNA biomarkers for bladder cancer by weighted gene coexpression network analysis

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common urinary system tumor with high aggressiveness, and it results in relatively high mortality due to a lack of precise and suitable biomarkers. In this study, we applied the weighted gene coexpression network analysis method to miRNA expression data from BC patients, and screened for network modules associated with BC progression. Hub miRNAs were selected, followed by functional enrichment analyses of their target genes for the most closely related module. These hub miRNAs were found to be involved in several functional pathways including pathway in cancer, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, proteoglycans in cancer, focal adhesion and p53 signaling pathway via regulating target genes. Finally, their prognostic significance was tested using analyses of overall survival. A few novel prognostic miRNAs were identified based on expression profiles and related survival data. In conclusion, several miRNAs that were critical in BC initiation and progression have been identified in this study. These miRNAs, which may contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis of BC, could serve as potential biomarkers for BC prognosis or as new therapeutic targets.