MiR-34b/c-5p and the neurokinin-1 receptor regulate breast cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis

MiR-34 is a tumour suppressor in breast cancer. Neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R), which is the predicted target of the miR-34 family, is overexpressed in many cancers. This study investigated the correlation and clinical significance of miR-34 and NK1R in breast cancer.

Western blotting, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and luciferase assays were conducted to analyse the regulation of NK1R by miR-34 in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, T47D, SK-BR-3 and HEK-293 T cells. MiR-34b/c-5p, full-length NK1R (NK1R-FL) and truncated NK1R (NK1R-Tr) expression in fifty patients were quantified by qRT-PCR and correlated with their clinicopathological parameters. CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays and flow cytometry were used to measure cell proliferation and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells transfected with miR-34b/c-5p or NK1R-siRNA and before treatment with or without Substance P (SP), an endogenous peptide agonists of NK1R. The effect of NK1R antagonist aprepitant was also investigated. In vivo xenograft models were used to further verify the regulation of NK1R by miR-34b/c-5p.

Expression levels of miR-34b/c-5p and NK1R-Tr, but not NK1R-FL, were associated with enhanced malignant potential, such as tumour stage and Ki67 expression. The overexpression of miR-34b/c-5p or NK1R silencing potently suppressed cell proliferation and induced G2/M phase arrest and the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells. The NK1R antagonist aprepitant had similar effects. In vivo studies confirmed that miR-34b/c-5p overexpression or NK1R silencing reduced the tumorigenicity of breast cancer. In addition, SP rescued the effects of miR-34b/c-5p overexpression or NK1R silencing on cell proliferation and apoptosis in vitro and in vivo assays.

MiR-34b/c-5p and NK1R contribute to breast cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis and are potential targets for breast cancer therapeutics.