Network and pathway analysis of microRNAs, transcription factors, target genes and host genes in human glioma.

To date, there has been rapid development with regard to gene and microRNA (miR/miRNA) research in gliomas. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the associated genes and miRNAs remain unclear. In the present study, the genes, miRNAs and transcription factors (TFs) were considered as elements in the regulatory network, and focus was placed on the associations between TFs and miRNAs, miRNAs and target genes, and miRNAs and host genes. In order to show the regulatory correlation clearly, all the elements were investigated and three regulatory networks, namely the differentially-expressed, related and global networks, were constructed. Certain important pathways were highlighted, with analysis of the similarities and differences among the networks. Next, the upstream and downstream elements of differentially-expressed genes, miRNAs and predicted TFs were listed. The most notable aspect of the present study was the three levels of network, particularly the differentially-expressed network, since the differentially-expressed associations that these networks provide appear at the initial stages of cancers such as glioma. If the states of the differentially-expressed associations can be adjusted to the normal state via alterations in regulatory associations, which were also recorded in the study networks and tables, it is likely that cancer can be regulated or even avoided. In the present study, the differentially-expressed network illuminated the pathogenesis of glioma; for example, a TF can regulate one or more miRNAs, and a target gene can be targeted by one or more miRNAs. Therefore, the host genes and target genes, the host genes and TFs, and the target genes and TFs indirectly affect each other through miRNAs. The association also exists between TFs and TFs, target genes and target genes, and host genes and host genes. The present study also demonstrated self-adaption associations and circle-regulations. The related network further described the regulatory mechanism associated with glioma. These results can be utilized to adjust the states. The present study expounded the regulatory mechanisms of glioma and supplied theoretical data for further studies, in which greater attention should be focused on the highlighted genes and miRNAs.