Expression Regulation Mechanisms: Novel Functions Predicted by a Bioinformatics Approach.

The nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase () gene has gained relevance in the research of cancer therapeutic strategies due to its main role as a NAD biosynthetic enzyme. NAD metabolism is an attractive target for the development of anti-cancer therapies, given the high energy requirements of proliferating cancer cells and NAD-dependent signaling. A few studies have shown that expression varies in different cancer types, making it imperative to assess expression and functionality status prior to the application of therapeutic strategies targeting NAD. In addition, the recent finding of NAPRT extracellular form (eNAPRT) suggested the involvement of NAPRT in inflammation and signaling. However, the mechanisms regulating gene expression have never been thoroughly addressed. In this study, we searched for gene expression regulatory mechanisms in transcription factors (TFs), RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and microRNA (miRNAs) databases. We identified several potential regulators of transcription activation, downregulation and alternative splicing and performed GO and expression analyses. The results of the functional analysis of TFs, RBPs and miRNAs suggest new, unexpected functions for the gene in cell differentiation, development and neuronal biology.