Integrated bioinformatic and wet-lab approach to identify potential oncogenic networks in neuroblastoma: MYCN

mRNA profiles of thousands of human tumors are available, but methods to deduce oncogenic signaling networks from these data lag behind. It is especially challenging to identify main-regulatory routes, and to generalize conclusions obtained from experimental models. We designed the bioinformatic platform R2 (http://r2.amc.nl) in parallel with a wet-lab approach of neuroblastoma. Here we demonstrate how R2 facilitates an integrated analysis of our neuroblastoma data. Analysis of the MYCN pathway suggested important regulatory connections to the polyamine synthesis route, the Notch pathway and the BMP/TGFβ pathway. A network of genes emerged connecting major oncogenes in neuroblastoma. Genes in the network carried strong prognostic values and were essential for tumor cell survival. Time-course experiments in triplicate of MYCN induction after doxycycline addition, with 7 timepoints.