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Updated: Nov 23, 2025
Clinicopathological Analysis of miRNA Expression in Breast Cancer Tissues by Using miRNA In Situ Hybridization
Published on: June 7, 2016
Identification of chemoresistance-associated microRNAs and hub genes in breast cancer using bioinformatics analysis
Ming Wu1, Yujie Zhao1, Nanxi Peng1
1Departments of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Breast cancer threatens women's health. Although there are a lot of methods to treat breast cancer, chemotherapy resistance still hinders the effectiveness of treatment. This study attempts to explore the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance from the perspective of miRNA and look for several new targets for developing new drugs. Three datasets (GSE73736, GSE71142 and GSE6434) from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were used for the bioinformatics analysis. Differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and differentially expressed genes (DE-genes) were obtained by using R package "limma". DAVID tool was used to perform gene ontology annotation analysis (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis for the overlapping genes. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was established by STRING database and visualized by software Cytoscape. Hub genes were identified by software Cytoscape. The prognostic value of hub genes was assessed through Kaplan-Meier plotter website. In total, 22 DE-miRNAs, 1932 DE-genes and top 10 hub genes were obtained. The genes were mainly enriched in cell signaling pathways like ErbB signaling pathway and PI3K / AKT/mTOR pathway. These pathways have a significant impact on the proliferation, invasion and drug resistance in cancer. MiRNA-Gene interaction may provide new insight for exploring the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer. Our study ultimately identified effective biomarkers and potential drug targets, which may enhance the effect of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer.
Insights
This study reveals microRNA (miRNA) roles in breast cancer chemotherapy resistance, identifying potential new drug targets. Understanding miRNA-gene interactions offers new insights for improving breast cancer treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Chemotherapy resistance remains a significant challenge in breast cancer treatment.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their role in cancer progression and drug resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance in breast cancer through miRNA analysis.
- To identify novel biomarkers and potential drug targets for overcoming treatment resistance.
Main Methods:
- Bioinformatic analysis of three Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE73736, GSE71142, GSE6434).
- Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and genes (DE-genes) using the R package 'limma'.
- Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis, Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network construction, and hub gene identification.
Main Results:
- Identification of 22 DE-miRNAs, 1932 DE-genes, and 10 key hub genes.
- Enrichment analysis highlighted pathways crucial for cancer proliferation and drug resistance, including ErbB signaling and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.
- MiRNA-gene interactions were implicated in the complex mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance.
Conclusions:
- MiRNA-gene interactions provide novel insights into breast cancer chemotherapy resistance.
- Identified biomarkers and potential drug targets may enhance chemotherapy efficacy in breast cancer patients.
- This research contributes to developing strategies to overcome drug resistance in breast cancer treatment.
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