title: Integrated analysis of microRNA and mRNA expression: adding biological significance to microRNA target predictions.
abstract: Current microRNA target predictions are based on sequence information and empirically derived rules but do not make use of the expression of microRNAs and their targets. This study aimed to improve microRNA target predictions in a given biological context, using in silico predictions, microRNA and mRNA expression. We used target prediction tools to produce lists of predicted targets and used a gene set test designed to detect consistent effects of microRNAs on the joint expression of multiple targets. In a single test, association between microRNA expression and target gene set expression as well as the contribution of the individual target genes on the association are determined. The strongest negatively associated mRNAs as measured by the test were prioritized. We applied our integration method to a well-defined muscle differentiation model. Validation of our predictions in C2C12 cells confirmed predicted targets of known as well as novel muscle-related microRNAs. We further studied associations between microRNA-mRNA pairs in human prostate cancer, finding some pairs that have been recently experimentally validated by others. Using the same study, we showed the advantages of the global test over Pearson correlation and lasso. We conclude that our integrated approach successfully identifies regulated microRNAs and their targets.
authors.affiliation: Center for Human and Clinical Genetics and Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden Genome Technology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Einthovenweg 20, 2300 ZC Leiden, The Netherlands, Netherlands Bioinformatics Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1118, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Department of Pediatric Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center - Sophia Children's Hospital, Dr. Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Iterson
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bervoets
authors.forename: Emile J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: de Meijer
authors.forename: Henk P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Buermans
authors.forename: Peter A C
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: 't Hoen
authors.forename: Renée X
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boer
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D032448:Myoblasts, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012984:Software; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger