Investigating MicroRNA and transcription factor co-regulatory networks in colorectal cancer

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide with poor prognosis. Studies have showed that abnormal microRNA (miRNA) expression can affect CRC pathogenesis and development through targeting critical genes in cellular system. However, it is unclear about which miRNAs play central roles in CRC’s pathogenesis and how they interact with transcription factors (TFs) to regulate the cancer-related genes.