MicroRNA Dynamics in Breast Cancer Pathogenesis

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that fine-tune gene expression by promoting mRNA degradation or repressing translation. In breast cancer, distinct microRNA signatures emerge at different stages of tumour initiation, progression and metastasis. Dysregulation of oncogenic microRNAs (oncomiRs) such as miR-21 and miR-10b fosters proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis, whereas loss of tumour-suppressive species such as members of the let-7 family or miR-125 destabilises cell-cycle checkpoints and apoptotic programmes. Spatial and temporal changes in microRNA expression influence epithelial–mesenchymal transition, stem-like traits and organ-specific colonisation, in part through modulation of key signalling cascades including PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK and TGF-β pathways. Subtype-specific microRNA patterns correlate with hormone receptor status, HER2 amplification and the aggressive biology of triple-negative disease. Emerging data also highlight bidirectional crosstalk between tumour cells and the microenvironment, in which microRNAs packaged in extracellular vesicles reshape stromal cells, immune infiltrates and pre-metastatic niches. Together, these findings underscore a dynamic network in which microRNAs operate both as drivers and reporters of malignant transformation, offering novel biomarkers for early detection and refined stratification as well as therapeutic targets for combinatorial approaches that restore homeostatic gene-regulatory circuits.

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MicroRNA Dynamics in Breast Cancer Pathogenesis publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in microrna dynamics in breast cancer pathogenesis across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

MicroRNA: A small non-coding RNA molecule (~18–25 nucleotides) that post-transcriptionally regulates gene expression.

OncomiR: A microRNA whose upregulation promotes oncogenic processes such as proliferation and invasion.

Tumour-suppressive microRNA: A microRNA that normally restrains malignancy by targeting oncogenes or survival pathways.

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT): A cellular programme enabling epithelial cells to acquire motile, invasive mesenchymal traits.

PI3K/AKT pathway: A central intracellular signalling cascade that controls cell growth, survival and metabolism.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): A clinically aggressive subtype lacking oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 expression.

References

1. MiR-4649-5p acts as a tumor-suppressive microRNA in triple negative breast cancer by direct interaction with PIP5K1C, thereby potentiating growth-inhibitory effects of the AKT inhibitor capivasertib. Breast Cancer Research (2023).
2. microRNA-21 promotes breast cancer proliferation and metastasis by targeting LZTFL1. BMC Cancer (2019).
3. MicroRNA expression profiling of human breast cancer identifies new markers of tumor subtype. Genome Biology (2007).
4. miRNA-mRNA Integrated Analysis Reveals Roles for miRNAs in Primary Breast Tumors. PLOS ONE (2011).