Bioinformatic Investigation of Mirnas Involved in the Regulation of beta-Catenin and Cyclin D1 Expression

Abstract

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignant worldwide. Recent finding have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) can use as therapeutic and diagnostic biomarker in many types of diseases, especially in cancer. Considerable improvement in bioinformatical algorithms and computer modeling systems has led to increase in the quality and quantity of the software and databases provide to predict genes targeting miRNAs. We use Clinical Bioinformatics, the new science that translate bioinformatics to clinical informatics and medical application. Extensive studies have shown Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway play essential and critical role in growth, development and differentiation of cell and was impaired in HCC and many types of cancer. beta-cateninis a multifunctional protein that regulates transcription factors and important genes involved in tumorigenesis. Another important gene in this pathway is CyclinD1, a proto-oncogene and an important regulator of cell cycle, which is located downstream of beta-catenin. Blocking the function of beta-catenin and CyclinD1 causes apoptosis and decline in tumorigenesis of various cancers, especially in HCC. The purpose of this study is to bioinformatically predict miRNAs that involved in the regulation of the expression of CyclinD1 and beta-catenin. miRNA prediction databases, miRWalk, DIANA, Target Scan, miRanda, mirZ, PicTar, miRPath, microCosm and Qiagen were recruited to find microRNAs targetingCyclin D1(CCND1) and beta-catenin(CTNNB1). Then the number of databases confirming miRNA: 3'UTR attachment, a table of miRNA prediction was prepared. This bioinformatical approach showed that, with the highest score, miR-214 and miR-20 more probably connect to 3' UTRs of CTNNB1 and CCND1. It seems that miR-20 and miR-214 can regulate expression of CCND1 and CTNNB1, subsequently play an important role in prevention of development and progression of a variety of malignant tumors.