2.4. Computational Target Prediction of Studied Colon and Prostate Cancer miRNAs and Construction of Network Map

To predict the potential targets of the studied miRNAs, the miRTarBase (https://mirtarbase.cuhk.edu.cn, accessed on 5 January 2023) [55] was used to identify the most reported targets for miR-17-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-200a-5p, and miR-221-5p in their respective type of cancer. miRTarBase was selected for predicting miRNA targets due to its decade-long reliability, encompassing over 13,000 articles, 27,000 target genes, and almost 19 million interactions. With natural language technology, it is a valuable resource for miRNA research in pathways, cancers, and therapies, aiding both researchers and drug development [56]. A network map was constructed based on the minimum folding free energy (MFE) values associated with the miRNA–target interaction. The network, consisting of miRNAs and their corresponding targets, was visualized using Cytoscape 3.2, a software tool (https://cytoscape.org/release_notes_3_2_0.html, accessed on 1 July 2023).