Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Utility of miR-141, miR-181b1, and miR-23b in Breast Cancer

miRNAs, a group of short noncoding RNAs, are key regulators of fundamental cellular processes and signaling pathways. Dysregulation of miRNA expression with known oncogenic or tumor suppressor functions has been associated with neoplastic transformation. Numerous studies have reported dysregulation of miRNA-141, miR-181b1, and miR-23b in a wide range of malignancies, including breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, no previous study had demonstrated the expression of miR-141-3p, miR-181b1-5p, and miR-23b-3p in different histological grades and molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Here, we identified differential expression of these three miRNAs in breast cancer tissues compared with benign breast fibroadenomas. In addition, high expression levels of miR-141-3p and miR-181b1-5p are strongly associated with aggressive breast carcinomas. We also confirmed the clinical potential of using the three miRNAs individually or combined as diagnostic and prognostic markers in breast cancer. Using bioinformatics analyses, we identified 23 hub genes of these three miRNAs which are involved in key signaling pathways in breast cancer. Furthermore, the KM plotter online database analysis demonstrates the association between elevated expression of miR-141 and miR-181b and shorter overall survival of breast cancer patients. Together, our data suggest an oncogenic role of the studied miRNAs and highlight their molecular roles and potential clinical applications in breast cancer.