Kholghi Oskooei Vahid, Ghafouri-Fard Soudeh, Omrani Mir Davood
Klin Onkol. 2018 Summer;31(4):264-269. doi: 10.14735/amko2018264.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as an important fraction of human transcriptome have been shown to exert fundamental role in regulation of signaling pathways implicated in carcinogenesis. Among them is vitamin D receptor (VDR) signaling whose participation in various cancers including breast cancer (BC) is evident. In spite of the presence of several evidences for participation of lncRNAs as well as VDR signaling in BC pathogenesis, no comprehensive study has evaluated the link between lncRNA dysregulation and VDR signaling in BC.
To introduce a bioinformatics approach for identification of lncRNAs that modulate VDR signaling in BC. This approach includes co-expression analysis, in silico identification of lncRNAs that target VDR and literature search.
Tens of lncRNAs are predicted to affect VDR signaling. Among them are some lncRNAs such as MALAT1 which has prominent role in BC pathogenesis. Identification of the lncRNAs that influence VDR gene expression is possible through in silico analysis. Considering the prominent role of VDR in BC pathogenesis as well as availability of VDR modulating agents, evaluation of VDR signaling pathway and related networks are of practical significance and bioinformatics tools are expected to facilitate such action. Key words: vitamin D receptor - long non-coding RNAs - co-expression - bioinformatics - calcitriol receptor - computational biology.
长链非编码RNA（lncRNAs）作为人类转录组的重要组成部分，已被证明在致癌相关信号通路的调控中发挥着重要作用。其中维生素D受体（VDR）信号通路在包括乳腺癌（BC）在内的多种癌症中的参与是明显的。尽管有多项证据表明lncRNAs以及VDR信号通路参与了BC的发病机制，但尚无全面研究评估BC中lncRNA失调与VDR信号通路之间的联系。
介绍一种生物信息学方法，用于鉴定调节BC中VDR信号通路的lncRNAs。该方法包括共表达分析、对靶向VDR的lncRNAs进行计算机鉴定以及文献检索。
预计有数十种lncRNAs会影响VDR信号通路。其中一些lncRNAs，如在BC发病机制中起重要作用的MALAT1。通过计算机分析可以鉴定影响VDR基因表达的lncRNAs。考虑到VDR在BC发病机制中的重要作用以及VDR调节剂的可用性，评估VDR信号通路及相关网络具有实际意义，生物信息学工具有望促进此类研究。关键词：维生素D受体 - 长链非编码RNA - 共表达 - 生物信息学 - 骨化三醇受体 - 计算生物学。
