Regulatory Roles of miR-155-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-93-5p, and miR-140-5p in Breast Cancer Progression

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) remains the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, necessitating innovative approaches to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. This case-control study, aimed to evaluate the expression profiles of specific microRNAs (miRNAs)-miR-155-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-93-5p, and miR-140-5p-in 50 female BC patients treated with paclitaxel (PTX) compared to 50 healthy controls. miRNA expression was analyzed using qPCR. The study revealed significant up regulation of these miRNAs in BC patients, with miR-155-5p and miR-21-5p demonstrating the highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.890 and 0.863, respectively). These miRNAs are implicated in key oncogenic processes, including tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance, highlighting their potential as non-invasive biomarkers for BC diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, the study identified significant differences in demographic and biochemical parameters between BC patients and controls, such as lower hemoglobin and RBC counts in patients, indicative of cancer-related anemia, and elevated AST levels. The findings underscore the importance of miRNAs in BC biology and their potential to guide personalized therapeutic strategies. Validation in larger cohorts is recommending and exploring miRNA-based interventions to improve patient outcomes and overcome chemoresistance in BC.