近年来，miRNA已成为一个研究热点，与多种恶性肿瘤的发生和发展有关，但在神经母细胞瘤方面的研究较少。本研究利用生物信息学技术鉴定和分析了神经母细胞瘤中差异表达的microRNA (miRNA)，并检查了它们的生物功能和相关信号通路。从基因表达/杂交芯片数据库GEO中获取神经母细胞瘤miRNA芯片GSE121513，分别对95例神经母细胞瘤样本和正常胎儿肾上腺神经母细胞瘤样本的数据进行分析，筛选出差异miRNA。使用 |log fold change (FC)| ≥4 预测了差异表达miRNA的靶基因。通过对Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)和Gene Ontology (GO)的分析，构建了一个蛋白质相互作用网络，鉴定了核心靶基因。共鉴定了91个差异miRNA (P<0.05, |logFC| ≥1)，其中52个上调，39个下调。筛选出差异miRNA的靶基因 (P<0.05, |logFC| ≥4)，得到了602个靶基因。功能分析显示，这些基因主要位于蛋白质的细胞外基质区域，并涉及到负调控细胞质翻译、mRNA 3'-未翻译区域 (UTR) 结合、结合到核酸以抑制翻译因子的活性。它们还参与了RNA降解、黏附途径和磷脂酰肌醇-3-激酶 (PI3K)-Akt信号通路。通过蛋白质相互作用网络筛选出10个核心靶基因。筛选出与神经母细胞瘤发生相关的差异miRNA。© 2022 Translational Pediatrics. All rights reserved.

In recent years, miRNAs have become a research hotspot, which is related to the occurrence and development of a variety of malignant tumors, but there are few studies in neuroblastoma. In this study, the differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in neuroblastoma were identified and analyzed using bioinformatics, and their biological functions and related signaling pathways were examined.The neuroblastoma miRNA chip GSE121513 was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and the data of 95 neuroblastoma samples and normal fetal adrenal neuroblastoma samples were analyzed to screen the differential miRNAs. The target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted using |log fold change (FC)| ≥4. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analyses were performed to construct a protein-protein interaction network and identify the core target genes.A total of 91 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified (P<0.05, |logFC| ≥1), including 52 upregulated and 39 downregulated miRNAs. The target genes of the differential miRNAs (P<0.05, |logFC| ≥4) were pretested, and 602 target genes were obtained. Functional analysis showed that these genes were mainly located in the extracellular matrix region of proteins, and were involved in the negative regulation of cytoplasmic translation, mRNA 3'-untranslated region (UTR) binding, and binding to nucleic acid to inhibit the activity of translation factors. They were also involved in RNA degradation, adhesion pathways, and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway. Ten key target genes were identified via protein interaction network screening.The differential miRNAs may be related to the occurrence of neuroblastoma were screened.2022 Translational Pediatrics. All rights reserved.