Yonsei Med J.  2017 Jul;58(4):697-702. 10.3349/ymj.2017.58.4.697.

Low Expression of Circulating MicroRNA-34c is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, ShunDe Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, China.
  • 2Department of General Surgery, ShunDe Hospital of Southern Medical University, Foshan, China. xwchensdyy@163.com

Abstract

PURPOSE
The microRNA-34 (miR-34) family is important in tumor regulation. This study aimed to investigate the association of circulating miR-34 family proteins with clinicopathological features and their prognostic value in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this cohort study, 173 TNBC patients admitted to First People's Hospital of Shunde from May 1, 2009 to April 30, 2013 were enrolled. Meanwhile, 75 age-matched healthy women volunteers were identified as healthy controls (HCs). We examined the expression of miR-34 family (miR-34a/b/c) proteins in plasma collected from TNBC patients before any treatment was performed and from age-matched HCs using qPCR methods.
RESULTS
The expressions of miR-34a/34b/34c were significantly lower in TNBC patients than in HC (p<0.001, p=0.027, p<0.001, respectively). miR-34a was correlated with tumor grade (p=0.038), lymph node positive (p=0.027), distant metastasis (p=0.004), and surgery (p=0.023); miR-34b was correlated with lymph node positivity (p=0.027); and miR-34c was correlated with tumor grade (p=0.017) and distant metastasis (p<0.001). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis displayed low expression of miR-34a as associated with worse overall survival (OS) (p=0.011), as well as miR-34c low expression (p=0.002). In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was performed, and low expression of miR-34c (p=0.011) was found to be an independent risk factor for OS, as well as tumor grade (p=0.013), lymph node positive (p=0.050), and distant metastasis (p=0.021).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study demonstrated reduced miR-34a/c expression is highly associated with tumor progression and indicated worse prognosis. Also, miR-34c was an independent risk factor for OS in TNBC patients.

Keyword

Circulating microRNA; triple-negative breast cancer; miR-34 family

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Cohort Studies
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
*Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Humans
Kaplan-Meier Estimate
MicroRNAs/*blood/*genetics/metabolism
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Neoplasm Staging
Prognosis
Proportional Hazards Models
Risk Factors
Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/*blood/*genetics/pathology
MicroRNAs

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Expressions of miR-34a/b/c in TNBC patients and HCs. (A) miR-34a. (B) miR-34b. (C) miR-34c. TNBC, triple-negative breast cancer; HC, health control; miR-34, microRNA-34.

  • Fig. 2 Kaplan-Meier curve analysis of miR-34a/b/c for overall survival. (A) miR-34a. (B) miR-34b. (C) miR-34c. miR-34, microRNA-34.


Cited by  1 articles

Notch1 in Tumor Microvascular Endothelial Cells and Tumoral miR-34a as Prognostic Markers in Locally Advanced Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Dongmin Kim, Jieun Lee, Jun Kang, Sung Hun Kim, Tae-Kyung Yoo, Sooeun Oh, Ahwon Lee
J Breast Cancer. 2019;22(4):562-578.    doi: 10.4048/jbc.2019.22.e56.


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