A combinative analysis of gene expression profiles and microRNA expression profiles identifies critical genes and microRNAs in oral lichen planus.

OBJECTIVE: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease but aetiology and pathogenesis has not fully elucidated. To gain insight into the mechanism of OLP, bioinformatic analysis was performed in this study.

DESIGN: GSE38616 and GSE38615 were downloaded from GEO, including 7 cases of OLP and 7 healthy controls. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and miRNAs (DEMs) between OLP and control were screened with package Limma of R. Potential regulatory miRNAs were screened via gene set enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed for the DEGs. KEGG pathways for DEGs were revealed using Gene Set Analysis Toolkit V2.

RESULTS: After DEGs and DEMs were obtained, potential regulatory miRNAs of the DEGs were revealed and only miR-362 was differentially expressed in OLP compared with DEMs. Four targets of miR-362 were SLIT-ROBO Rho GTPase activating protein 2 (SRGAP2), vesicle-associated membrane protein 4 (VAMP4), leucine rich repeat transmembrane neuronal 4 (LRRTM4) and lysine (K)-specific demethylase5C (KDM5C). Identified DEGs were significantly enriched in olfactory transduction and ribosome pathways.

CONCLUSION: miR-362, targeting SRGAP2 and VAMP4, may be a potential risk miRNA to regulate OLP. The findings may provide potential biomarkers for diagnosis or treatment of the disease.