Regulatory network analysis of transcription factors, microRNAs, target genes and host genes in human multiple myeloma

In recent years, molecular biologists have achieved great advance in micro RNA (miRNA) and gene investigation about the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM). Existing research data of the transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs is disperse and unorganized, which prevents researchers from investigating the mechanism and analyze regulatory pathways of MM systematically. In our research, regulatory interactions among miRNAs, TFs, host genes and target genes were imported to construct regulatory networks at three levels, including the abnormally expressed network and the related network as well as the global network. The abnormally expressed network was primary investigated cause it was an experimentally validated topological network, and it systematically explained the regulatory mechanism of MM. Its outstanding significance lies in that if we correct each abnormally expressed gene and miRNA to normal expression level by transcriptional control adjustment, thus the whole genetic expression network will return to normal state, and MM may not relapse. Additionally, analyses and comparisons to upstream as well as downstream of abnormally expressed miRNAs and genes in three networks highlighted some important regulators and key signaling pathways. For example, STAT3 and hsa-miR-125b, PIAS3 and hsa-miR-21 respectively formed self adaptation feedback regulations. The current research proposed a novel perspective to systematically explained the regulatory mechanism of MM and may contribute to further research and therapy of carcinomas.