Comprehensive Prediction of FBN1 Targeting Mirnas: A Systems Biology Approach for Marfan Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic connective tissue disorder primarily caused by mutations in the FBN1 gene. Emerging evidence highlights the regulatory role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in modulating gene expression in MFS, but a systematic investigation into miRNAs targeting FBN1 is lacking. This study aimed to comprehensively identify miRNAs interacting with the FBN1 transcript to reveal potential molecular regulators and therapeutic targets. Methods: Human miRNA sequences were retrieved from miRBase (Release 22.1), and the canonical FBN1 transcript (RefSeq: NM_000138.5) was used for target prediction. Computational interaction analysis was conducted using the psRNATarget server with stringent parameters to detect potential miRNA binding sites. Expression profiles and disease associations of the top candidate miRNAs were further investigated through database integration and literature review. Results: Out of 2656 human mature miRNAs analyzed, 251 were predicted to bind FBN1, with the hsa-miR-181 family exhibiting the highest number of predicted interactions. Evidence from the literature highlighted dysregulation of hsa-miR-181 expression in MFS patients, suggesting a functional role in disease pathophysiology. Conclusion: This study identifies key members of the hsa-miR-181 family as post-transcriptional regulators of FBN1, offering new insights into miRNA-driven mechanisms in MFS. These findings support the potential of RNA-based diagnostics and therapeutic strategies targeting miRNA-FBN1 interactions. ©Copyright 2025 The Author.