Networks of microRNAs and genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract

In the present study, three regulatory networks, including a network of differentially expressed factors, a related network and a global network, were constructed hierarchically in order to analyze the association between genes, micro (mi)RNAs and transcriptional factors (TFs) in a systematical approach, rather than focusing on only one or several miRNAs or TFs. By analyzing and comparing the similarities and differences among these three networks, a number of key pathways were highlighted. In addition, identifying the upstream and the downstream nodes, which were composed of differentially expressed genes and miRNAs in the networks provided assistance in identifying associations between circle-regulations or self-adaptation regulations among these elements. In the present study, the TP53 gene and the TP53 pathway were observed to be important in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the predicted transcriptional factors, including EFKB1 and E2F1, which were found with self-adaptaion associations and certain abnormally expressed miRNAs in the network of differentially expressed factors, requires further examination in further investigations of the pathogenesis of ALL. The confirmation of these factors may be of significance to ALL.