Possible miRNA coregulation of target genes in brain regions by both differential miRNA expression and miRNA-targeting-specific promoter methylation

Abstract

We computationally reanalyzed public domain data set deposited to gene expression omnibus, of mRNA expression, miRNA expression and promoter methylation pattern in four brain regions, i.e., frontal cortex, temporal cortex, pons and cerebellum. Then we found that more than hundreds of both miRNA regulation of target genes and miRNA-targeting-specific promoter methylation are significant on all six pairwise comparisons among the above mentioned four brain regions. We also showed that some of miRNA regulation of target genes is highly correlated with both or either of miRNA-targeting-specific promoter methylation and differential miRNA expression. We concluded that the combinatorial analysis of miRNA regulation of target genes, miRNA-targeting-specific promoter methylation and differential miRNA expression can figure out brain region specific contribution of miRNAsto brain functions and developments. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.