title: An integrated approach of predicted miR-34a targets identifies a signature for gastric cancer.
abstract: microRNA-34a (miRNA/miR-34a) functions as a tumor suppressor gene in gastric cancer and may be involved in system-wide regulatory networks. To clarify the expression of all predicted target genes of this miRNA, a comprehensive and systematic analysis of miR-34a-target genes in gastric cancer was conducted in the present study. In the initial analysis, the potential functions, pathways and networks of gastric cancer-associated molecules and miR-34a targets were identified. In the final integrative analysis of gastric cancer-associated miR-34a targets, 30 hub genes were identified using overlap calculations, indicating that miR-34a may be significant in the development and progression of gastric cancer through the Smad signaling pathway, the cell cycle, the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, apoptosis, the Notch signaling pathway and other pathways. The present study provides a bioinformatic analysis of miR-34a-targets in gastric cancer, describes numerous target genes and novel coregulatory networks, and may provide an opportunity to identify a critical regulatory network for predicting the molecular mechanisms of miR-34a in the development and progression of gastric cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tiantian
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Center of Scientific Experiment, Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Rongjian
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baoquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yunli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: gastric cancer; miR-34a; systematic analysis