In silico analyses to identify the potential genes and microRNA targets in pathways mediating radiation-induced adaptive response in breast cancer

Radiation therapy is implemented as palliative treatment using X-ray either via conventional/fractionated regime to treat breast cancer patients where radio-resistance remains a challenge. Low followed by higher doses of radiation results in non-targeted effect of radiation known as (RIAR), which is considered a causal factor for the occurrence of radio-resistance. Genes were collected from NCBI database, literature, and enriched using Enrichr database. Understanding RIAR gene-gene interactions is essential for unravelling complex biological mechanisms in RIAR; hence, interactions among genes were performed using Cytoscape (v 3.10.2) and Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes databases. The microRNAs (miRNAs) corresponding to these genes and those having roles in breast cancer were retrieved from miRNA databases, namely, miTarBase, miRDB, miRNet, and enriched using enrichMiR. Our study analysed 69 genes associated with RIAR pathways. About 19 miRNAs among RIAR and breast cancer were found to be enriched with several gene overlaps. These genes and miRNAs have profound roles in processes such as DNA repair, cell survival, cell proliferation, oxidative stress, cell cycle regulation, inflammation, cell migration, and cytoskeletal interactions. Our results suggest these miRNAs may serve as potential targets in altering RIAR. Targeting these miRNAs further can alter genes involved in RIAR-associated mechanisms, thereby improving the radio-therapeutic efficacy.