Analysis of MicroRNAs in Correlation to Astrocytoma

Brain tumors, particularly astrocytomas, are a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that control post-transcriptional gene expression. Since they are mostly extracted from body fluids and require a minimally invasive approach, miRNAs are significant biomarkers for the detection of cancer. This research aimed to elucidate miRNAs that are potential biomarkers for the detection of primary brain tumors, specifically astrocytomas. We searched for target genes involved in astrocytomas and then selected 11 genes that were most frequently mentioned in the research. Through an in-silico search, 741 miRNAs of target genes were found and further analyzed. Since there are very few common miRNAs between these genes, genemania software was used to see how the genes interacted so that they could be grouped for network analysis. MiRNAs of the following genes were selected for in-depth analysis: EGFR, BRAF, TP53, TERT, IDH1, and IDH2. Five miRNAs were classified as unique miRNAs for all genes (miR-181c- 3p, miR-423-5p, miR-200c-5p, microRNA let-7a-3, miR-744-5p), and five more as miRNAs with high confidence of interaction with mRNAs of the gene signature (miR-30c-1-3p, miR-152-3p, microRNA 30a, microRNA 30c-1, and microRNA 150). Dysfunction of some or all of these miRNAs is associated with astrocytoma tumors.