Elevated microRNA-125b levels predict a worse prognosis in HER2-positive breast cancer patients

Abstract

Abstract. Breast cancer, the second most common cancer worldwide, is the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women, accounting for ~15% of all cancer-associated mortalities in women. The development, local invasion and metastasis of breast cancer are associated with the dysregulation and mutation of numerous genes and epigenetic mechanisms, including coding RNA and non-coding RNA, such as microRNAs (miRs/miRNAs). Previous studies have shown a dual-faced role of miR-125b in breast cancer. In the present study, a total of 221 paraffin-embedded breast cancer and 49 paraffin-embedded non-cancerous breast tissue samples were collected. In situ hybridization was used to analyze the expression of miR-125b in the breast cancer tissues. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the expression correlation between miR-125b and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2). The overall survival estimates over time were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test. It was found that miR-125b expression was significantly increased in the breast cancer tissues compared with that in the non-cancerous tissues, and high miR-125b expression indicated a poor prognosis in the breast cancer patients. In addition, miR-125b expression was positively correlated with HER2, but not with progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor. Notably, high miR-125b expression was significantly correlated with tumor size and Tumor-Node-Metastasis stage in the HER2-positive breast cancer patients, along with a poor prognosis. The present study provides clinical data to confirm the oncogenic potential of miR-125b, particularly in HER2-positive human breast cancer. Thus, identification of miR-125b may be a potential molecular biomarker for the prediction of clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients, particularly HER2-positive cases that will receive paclitaxel-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

miRNA expression in advanced Algerian breast cancer tissues

“…This provides further proof of the tumor suppressor role of miR-125b in breast cancer. In our study, miR-125b was found be to be upregulated with HER2-status which does not concur with the results in the literature where miR-125b was found to be significantly upregulated with HER2+ status [44].…”

p53/Lactate dehydrogenase A axis negatively regulates aerobic glycolysis and tumor progression in breast cancer expressing wild‐type p53

“…Regarding IHC analysis scores, IHC staining was evaluated at 200× magnification using light microscopy. A semiquantitative evaluation of p53, LDHA, CCND1, p21, c‐PARP and ki67 protein was done using a method described in our previous studies …”

Duplicitous Dispositions of Micro-RNAs (miRs) in Breast Cancer

“…While few studies have investigated the use of miRNA serum expression levels as a predictive metric for treatment response, clinically relevant outcomes were revealed in the studies performed indicating the need for incentivizing investigations into miRNA biomarkers. For example, elevated miR-125b expression predicts poor prognosis, is associated with tumor size and TNM stage in HER2+ BC as well as poor responsiveness to paclitaxel-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy [106]. Therefore, miR-125b may be a potential predictor of clinical outcome, particularly in HER2+ BC patients receiving paclitaxel-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.…”