Characterization of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes targeted by onco-microRNAs and tumor suppressor microRNAs in kidney cancer

Mutated oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes can significantly alter cell functions during the development of cancer. A thorough analysis of their mutation patterns may offer some insights into cancer emergence as well as some suggestions for potential drug targeting. Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is the most common subtype of kidney cancer. KIRC has a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. To date, immunotherapy based on immune checkpoints is the most promising treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) down-regulate target genes by binding to the 3’ UTR of the respective targets. MiRNAs target genes at the post-transcriptional level after mRNA has been transcribed. The complexity of the miRNA-gene targeting interaction, as a result, has made this research more challenging. There are two classes of genes that this study focuses on which are oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Oncogenes function by deregulating cell proliferation and suppressing apoptosis. Tumor suppressor genes function by inhibiting cell proliferation and tumor development. There have been many studies that focus on the targeting relationship between genes and miRNAs, but few studies investigate the big picture of the relationship between oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes and how it can be regulated at the genome-wide level in the context of the miRNA targeting mechanism. We downloaded the significant miRNA-gene targeting cluster files for KIRC from a published study. We then separated and annotated the tumor suppressors and oncogenes based on their survival analysis. We grouped the data into four different categories based on the miRNA-targeted gene relationship (TS-TS, Onco-Onco, TS-Onco, Onco-TS). Based on the survival significance (p-value < .05) analysis, we have identified 28 oncogenes and 188 tumor suppressor genes. We have also identified 8 tumor suppressor miRNAs and 62 onco-miRNAs.