Deciphering miRNA transcription factor feed-forward loops to identify drug repurposing candidates for cystic fibrosis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a fatal genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system, and the current drug treatment is mainly able to alleviate symptoms. To improve disease management for CF, we considered the repurposing of approved drugs and hypothesized that specific microRNA (miRNA) transcription factors (TF) gene networks can be used to generate feed-forward loops (FFLs), thus providing treatment opportunities on the basis of disease specific FFLs.

Methods

Comprehensive database searches revealed significantly enriched TFs and miRNAs in CF and CFTR gene networks. The target genes were validated using ChIPBase and by employing a consensus approach of diverse al

SUBMITTER: Liu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4256829 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature