Evaluation of miRNA-200c and βIII tubulin as promising markers for clinical decision making in locally advanced breast cancer patients receiving taxanes therapy

Abstract

BackgroundClinical management of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a common clinical problem. Therefore, finding a good predictor for the efficacy of treatment is crucial. The miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play an important role in gene regulation of many biological processes. Class III tubulin (βIII tubulin) are dynamic fibrous cytoskeletal proteins that play a significant role in chromosome segregation during mitosis and meiosis and has been identified to participate in cell proliferation and cancer development. AimTo evaluate the role of miRNA-200c and βIII tubulin as promising markers for clinical decision making in locally advanced breast cancer patients receiving taxanes therapy. MethodsA retrospective study of paraffin sections of 143 female breast patients: 22 patients with benign breast diseases and 121 breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant taxane therapy divided to: 94 responder patients and 27 non responder patients. Patients were followed up from date of first diagnosis till end of the study. The expression level of miRNA 200c was evaluated using real time PCR and the expression level of βIII tubulin protein was immunohistochemically estimated. Results were correlated with response to neoadjuvant taxanes therapy. ResultsThe miRNA 200 c was significantly down regulated in patients responding to taxanes as compared with non-responders (p = 0.009). The βIII tubulin protein was significantly highly expressed in ER negative and PR negative breast cancer patients (p = 0.011, p = 0.053, respectively). It was significantly up regulated in triple negative and HER2 enriched (non luminal) cases and down regulated in luminal cases (p = 0.023). ConclusionThe results suggest miRNA 200c may be a predictive marker for response to neoadjuvant taxanes therapy in breast cancer patients, while βIII tubulin protein showed association with molecular subtypes of breast cancer namely luminal versus non luminal cases that may serve as an excellent marker for clinical decision making.