A Systems Biology Approach for miRNA-mRNA Expression Patterns Analysis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Considering the molecular complexity and heterogeneity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the identification of novel molecular contributors involved in RA initiation and progression using systems biology approaches will open up potential therapeutic strategies. The bioinformatics method allows the detection of associated miRNA-mRNA as both therapeutic and prognostic targets for RA.

This research used a system biology approach based on a systematic re-analysis of the RA-related microarray datasets in the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to find out deregulated miRNAs. We then studied the deregulated miRNA-mRNA using Enrichr and Molecular Signatures Database (MSigDB) to identify novel RA-related markers followed by an overview of miRNA-mRNA interaction networks and RA-related pathways.

This research mainly focused on mRNA and miRNA interactions in all tissues and blood/serum associated with RA to obtain a comprehensive knowledge of RA. Recent systems biology approach analyzed seven independent studies and presented important RA-related deregulated miRNAs (miR-145-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-15a-5p, miR-29c-3p, miR- 103a-3p, miR-125a-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-218); upregulation of miR-125b is shown in the study (GSE71600). While the findings of the Enrichr showed cytokine and vitamin D receptor pathways and inflammatory pathways. Further analysis revealed a negative correlation between the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and miR-125b in RA-associated gene expression.

Since vitamin D is capable of regulating the immune homeostasis and decreasing the autoimmune process through its receptor (VDR), it is regarded as a potential target for RA. According to the results obtained, a comparative correlation between negative expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and miR-125b was suggested in RA. The increasing miR-125b expression would reduce the VitD uptake through its receptor.