Fig. 7
Target gene pathway (A), gene network analysis for focal adhesion pathway (B) and Human microRNA–disease network analysis (C). In (A), pathway enrichment analysis with a significance threshold of P < 0.001 unveils the top 10 pathways associated with the up-regulated miRNAs in the interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) group, with 'Focal adhesion' emerging as the pathway most significantly implicated, followed by pathways involved in oncogenesis and signaling such as ‘Pathways in cancer’ and ‘PI3K-Akt signaling pathway’. In (B), constructed using STRING database, illustrates a complex interaction network of 58 gene targets, offering a visual representation of the proteomic landscape influenced by the dysregulated miRNAs. Nodes represent individual gene targets, while edges denote the interactions, underscoring the extensive cross-talk and potential synergistic effects on cellular functions. In (C) complements the preceding analyses by delineating the disease-specific associations of the 58 gene targets modulated by the up-regulated miRNAs in IFTA. Each bar represents a discrete condition—ranging from ‘ovarian neoplasm’ to ‘cirrhosis’ to ‘bipolar disorder’—and is proportioned to reflect the count of implicated gene targets. The anticipated color-coding scheme would facilitate distinction among categories such as neoplastic, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric disorders, allowing for an immediate visual appraisal of the data. The configuration of bars would thus illustrate not only the concentrated involvement of these miRNAs in renal fibrotic transformation but also their potential systemic influence, reinforcing the concept of miRNAs as critical regulators with extensive biomedical relevance.
