title: Transcription factor and microRNA co-regulatory loops: important regulatory motifs in biological processes and diseases.
abstract: Transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) can jointly regulate target gene expression in the forms of feed-forward loops (FFLs) or feedback loops (FBLs). These regulatory loops serve as important motifs in gene regulatory networks and play critical roles in multiple biological processes and different diseases. Major progress has been made in bioinformatics and experimental study for the TF and miRNA co-regulation in recent years. To further speed up its identification and functional study, it is indispensable to make a comprehensive review. In this article, we summarize the types of FFLs and FBLs and their identified methods. Then, we review the behaviors and functions for the experimentally identified loops according to biological processes and diseases. Future improvements and challenges are also discussed, which includes more powerful bioinformatics approaches and high-throughput technologies in TF and miRNA target prediction, and the integration of networks of multiple levels.
authors.forename: Hong-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shuzhen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Xushen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Tianliuyun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Chenglin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: An-Yuan
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D025461:Feedback, Physiological; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: FBLs; FFLs; TF-miRNA co-regulatory network; cell proliferation; target prediction