Identification of mRNA and non-coding RNA hubs using network analysis in organ tropism regulated triple negative

Satarupa Banerjee1, Surya Radhika Kalyani Yabalooru2, Devarajan Karunagaran2

  • 1Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamilnadu, India; School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, Tamil Nadu, India.

Insights

This study identifies key RNA hubs (lncRNAs, miRNAs, mRNAs) in aggressive triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and its metastasis. The findings offer potential new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for TNBC, improving patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype resistant to standard therapies.
  • TNBC is characterized by high rates of metastasis to various organs.
  • Identifying key regulatory molecules is crucial for developing targeted treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify crucial microRNA (miRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) hubs in TNBC.
  • To construct and analyze RNA interaction networks for TNBC and its metastasis.
  • To classify miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA triads for potential therapeutic targets.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized publicly available datasets for TNBC.
  • Generated RNA interaction networks using validated interaction data.
  • Employed social network analysis and Cytoscape for triad classification.
  • Performed survival, oncoprint, and pathway analyses.

Main Results:

  • Identified common and exclusive RNA hubs for TNBC and its metastasis.
  • Highlighted specific lncRNAs (NEAT1, CASC7) and miRNAs (hsa-miR-106b-5p, hsa-miR-148a-3p, hsa-miR-25-3p, hsa-let-7i-5p) as key players.
  • Discovered subtype-specific hubs (e.g., HMGA1, hsa-miR-27a-3p) for lung and bone metastasis.
  • CTNND1, SON, and hsa-miR-29c emerged as significant TNBC survival markers.

Conclusions:

  • The study proposes a novel pipeline for identifying and classifying RNA interaction triads in TNBC.
  • Identified potential biomarkers (NEAT1, CASC7, specific miRNAs, CTNND1, SON) for TNBC and metastasis.
  • The integrated approach may reduce experimental costs and can be extended to other cancers.

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