miRNA-148a and miRNA-30c expressions as potential biomarkers in breast cancer patients

• Published in: Biochemistry and biophysics reports Vol. 27; p. 101060
• Main Authors: Elhelbawy, Nesreen G., Zaid, Ibrahim F., Khalifa, Aya A., Gohar, Suzy F., Fouda, Eman A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Breast cancer; miRNA-148a; miRNA-30c; miRNA-148a; miRNA-30c; Breast cancer
• ISSN: 2405-5808; 2405-5808
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2021.101060

Breast cancer is an extensively identified malignant tumor and is a prime cause of cancer mortalities in females. It has been shown that alteration of miRNAs expression (up or down regulation) can affect the initiation and progression of many malignancies. We aimed to evaluate the role of circulating miRNA-148a and miRNA-30c in female patients with breast cancer and estimate their usage as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis, prognosis and survival of breast cancer. This study included 75 breast cancer female patients.They were compared with 55 apparently healthy female subjects. miRNAs expression analysis was assessed via real-time PCR. To discriminate breast cancer patients from controls, miR-30c showed the best performance at a cut off value of ≤20.6 (AUC = 0.998, 97.33% sensitivity, 96.36% specificity, p < 0.001), followed by miR-148a (AUC = 0.995, 94.67% sensitivity, 90.91% specificity, p < 0.001 at a cut off value of ≤0.1), CA 15-3 (AUC = 0.930, 88.0% sensitivity, 81.82% specificity, p < 0.001 at a cut off value of >21.3), and finally CEA (AUC = 0.751, 70.67% sensitivity, 63.64% specificity, p < 0.001 at a cut off value of >2.5). miRNA-148a and miRNA-30c expressions were down regulated in female patients with breast cancer and might be considered as potential blood biomarkers. Both also might have rule in disease treatment and selection of therapeutic targets. Future studies are needed to improve their role in predicting response to treatment and prognosis. •miRNA-148a and miRNA-30c expressions were down regulated in female patients with breast cancer.•Lower levels of miR-148a were associated with lower overall survival and poor progression free survival.•Decreased level of miR-30c was not related to overall survival but it was associated with poor progression free survival.•In breast cancer patients, the expression level of miR-148a was positively correlated with miR-30c.