Characteristics of miRNA interaction with mRNA of candidate genes of small intestinal cancer

Abstract

miRNAs is a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of genes, and associated with approximately all known physiological and pathological processes, especially cancer. Expression of many genes is regulated by binding of miRNA with mRNA, therefore it is required to identify candidate genes, associated with small intestinal cancer and the extent of their interaction with miRNA. To determine the important miRNAs binding sites in genes, involved in the development of small intestinal cancer, MirTarget program was used. The article presents the results of studying the characteristics of the interaction of miRNAs with mRNAs of 40 candidate genes involved in the development of small intestinal cancer, out of which only 27 genes were targets for miRNAs. 135 miRNAs have binding sites at 5’UTR, CDS, and 3’UTR; the average free energy of binding (ΔG) of miRNAs with mRNAs was - 126 kJ/mole, - 119 kJ/mole and - 109 kJ/mole, respectively. 79 associations of miRNAs and mRNAs of genes with a free energy of interaction more than – 125 kJ/mole are recommended for the diagnosis of small intestinal cancer. ARID1A, ASXL1, KRAS, NF1, PDXP, PTEN and SMAD4 genes are characterized as a candidate target genes for miRNAs having binding sites in 5’UTR of mRNA, while ARID1A, CDKN2B, EGFR, GNAS, MLL2, MSH6 and PDXP are characterized as a candidate genes, having miRNAs binding sites in CDS, and CDKN2B, SMAD4 as a candidate genes, having miRNAs binding sites in 3’UTR. Based on the results obtained, groups of miRNA and mRNA associations of candidate genes are recommended for developing methods for early diagnosis of small intestinal cancer.