Associate Professor University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy Princess Anne, Maryland
An integrative system biology approach, combining miRNA and mRNA profiling, microRNA target prediction, and pathway analysis, was applied to study the miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks underlying prostate cancer (PCa) disparities between African American (AA) and European American (EA) patients. A series of miRNA-mRNA pairings were identified and functionally validated as critical factors contributing to the aggressive phenotypes in AA PCa. The potential for utilizing the deregulated microRNA-mRNAs as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
Define the deregulated microRNA-mRNA pairings in prostate cancers derived from African American and European American patients.
Identify the critical cancer signaling pathways influnced by microRNA-mRNA interactions.
Understand the molecular mechanisms of microRNA-mRNA regulatory networks underlying prostate cancer disparities.
Develop potential prognostic biomarkers and novel drug targets using candidate microRNA-mRNA pairings.
