Using the ceRNA network to predict the new circRNA-miRNA-mRNA on pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of endogenous non-coding RNA molecules that do not have a 5'-terminal cap and a 3'-terminal poly (A) tail and form a closed ring structure with covalent bonds. They act as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) or microRNAs (miRNAs), which in turn influence and regulate the expression of target genes and mRNA. It has been established that these circRNA-associated ceRNAs play significant roles in autoimmune illnesses, although it is still unknown how the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in systemic lupus erythematosus works. Methods In this investigation, the self-test data and the differential expression of circRNA in the GEO database were retrieved, as well as the circRNA in the bone marrow of SLE patients and healthy volunteers. Using the limma package of R program, the differential expression of mRNA and miRNA in the GEO database was discovered. Then miRNA-mRNA pairs and circRNA-miRNA pairs were established using miRcode, miRDB, miRTarbase, and TargetScan. Additionally, circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network was built using Cytoscape, and Hub genes were screened using a protein-protein interaction network. Results We created 66 up-regulated circRNAs, 164 down-regulated circRNAs, 167 up-regulated mRNAs, 1916 down-regulated mRNAs, 15 up-regulated miRNAs, and 71 down-regulated miRNAs in accordance with the predetermined hypothesis. SLE development is significantly influenced by pathways in malignancies, according to functional and enrichment studies. Significant biomarkers include SIRT and ESR1. Our predictions included hsa miR 22 3p and HSA circ 0000345, two possible miRNAs and circRNAs that may have a major impact on SLE. Conclusions Our study discovered novel circRNA miRNAs and mRNAs through ceRNA network analysis that could be employed as potential biomarkers for SLE and as treatment targets for SLE.