Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial in the initiation and progression of tumors. A recent study has reported that the miRNAs miR-221 and miR-222 are involved in the promotion of an aggressive basal-like phenotype in breast cancer, functioning downstream of the RAS pathway and triggering epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These new insights into the roles of miR-221/222 in breast cancer metastasis, drug resistance and RAS pathways could potentially have applications in medical practice.
Highlights
MicroRNAs and their role in aggressive cancers e past decade has shown remarkable advances in our knowledge of microRNAs and their functional importance in a wide range of developmental and physiological processes. ese small endogenous non-coding RNAs, which post-transcriptionally regulate the expression of several hundred genes, have recently been shown to have an important role in various human cancers [1]
New insights into the role of miR-221 and miR-222 as regulators in basal-like breast cancer A recent study published in Science Signaling by Stinson et al [4] identified miR-221 and miR-222 as regulators of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using highthroughput analysis and a human in vitro cell culture model. e study [4] reported miR-221/222 to be expressed in basal-like breast cancer and to act downstream of the oncogenic RAS-RAF-MEK pathway. ese miRNAs mediate metastasis through increased invasion and migration by targeted repression of trichorhino-phalangeal syndrome type 1 protein (TRPS1), which in turn increases the abundance of the EMTpromoting protein zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2)
E study by Stinson and colleagues [4] is significant because it substantiates the concept that specific miRNAs can promote transformation to more aggressive cancer phenotypes with poor prognosis. e authors performed miRNA microarray screening using multiple cell lines representing luminal-like and basal-like subtypes of breast cancer, and identified miR-221/222 to be differentially expressed. e overexpression of miR-221/222 in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer has been reported previously [5], implying a role of miR-221/222 in predisposition of ER status in aggressive breast cancers
Summary
MicroRNAs and their role in aggressive cancers e past decade has shown remarkable advances in our knowledge of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their functional importance in a wide range of developmental and physiological processes. ese small endogenous non-coding RNAs, which post-transcriptionally regulate the expression of several hundred genes, have recently been shown to have an important role in various human cancers [1]. New insights into the role of miR-221 and miR-222 as regulators in basal-like breast cancer A recent study published in Science Signaling by Stinson et al [4] identified miR-221 and miR-222 as regulators of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) using highthroughput analysis and a human in vitro cell culture model. E study [4] reported miR-221/222 to be expressed in basal-like breast cancer and to act downstream of the oncogenic RAS-RAF-MEK pathway.
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