Protein synthesis, apoptosis, cellular movement, growth and proliferation are the main significant cellular functions (p < 0.05) that are associated to the modulated genes.
For each miRNA, the five most relevant networks with their most strongly enriched molecular and cellular functions (P < 0.001) are listed in Table 3. Comparative analysis of enrichment patterns demonstrated that all miRNAs were involved in the regulation of global oncogenic processes like cell proliferation, cell death, and cellular movement.
The three most significant functional categories were molecular transport, protein trafficking, and cellular function and maintenance (p < 0.05).
This may be explained by additional cellular functions of p-STAT3.
> -wrap-foot> a, C: cellular component; F, molecular function; P, biological process.
GO category notations: C = cellular component; F = molecular function; P = biological process.
Here, despite the fact that the total number of genes affected is quite similar, the number of GO groups that appear enriched is much larger, affecting a long list of cellular functions when using p value limma results.
Note: The above results indicate that the cellular function filter has a poorer p-value than the frequency score and the molecular function filters.
IPA analysis of these genes also identified lipid metabolism as an enriched molecular and cellular function (Fisher's Exact Test p-value < 0.01; Figure 10; Additional File 13 provides a list of the most significant biological functions).
GO categories: F = function, P = process, C = cellular component.
