Small RNA profiling and identification of Boerhaavia diffusa miRNAs with potential HepatoCellular Carcinoma gene targets

Abstract

Background and objective

Plentiful studies have efficaciously communicated that plant originated dietary microRNAs (miRNAs) attenuate the expression regulation of human transcripts by cross-species post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism. The small non-coding plant microRNAs with regulatory potential exhibit cross-kingdom communication via oral consumption and transfer to non-plant host species wherein they regulate the cellular and biological processes of host species. Thus miRNA portray as the inter-species signalling molecules responsible for imparting pharmacological properties to conventionally used medicinal herbs. Herein, we aim to investigate and document the regulatory potential of miRNAs derived from Boerhaavia diffusa, one of the widely used herb by tribal communities to treat liver disorders.

Methods and results

In the present study small RNA profiling data have been generated with ~ 80 million sequences by adapting high-throughput sequencing from B. diffusa root sample and analysed using bioinformatics tools for identification of 27 novel and 3325 conserved miRNAs from 4,619,108 clean reads. Further potential targets, putative role, and functional implications of miRNAs were explored. Subsequently, target prediction resulted in identification 2782 targets and 326 targets against conserved and novel miRNAs respectively, which were further annotated for biological functions and associated pathways. Remarkably, the plausible novel miRNAs bdf-miR-8, bdf-miR-20, bdf-miR-10, bdf-miR-22 were targeting the most significant genes MAPK14, RB1, YAP1 and CDK6 involved in HCC oncogenesis. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, Epstein-Barr virus infection, TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway and p53 signaling pathway were inferred as the most significant pathways by pathway enrichment analysis.

Conclusion

Our findings, being the first-such attempt to testify and postulate the novel interpretations regarding the cross-species expression regulation of human transcripts by B. diffusa root derived miRNAs. Sustaining the human disease regulation by dietary miRNAs and elucidating their promising therapeutic application, experimental validations with molecular assessments are still needed.

Keywords

Boerhaavia diffusa / miRNA / Cross-kingdom / Small-RNA profiling

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RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Shenzhen University School of Medicine; Fondazione Istituto FIRC di Oncologia Molecolare