The Biological Function of TUSC7/miR-1224-3p Axis in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a significant clinical challenge due to its poor prognosis and lack of targeted therapies.
• Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) TUSC7, previously identified as a tumor suppressor in other cancers, warrants investigation in breast cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical significance of lncRNA TUSC7 in breast cancer.
• To elucidate the biological function and underlying molecular mechanisms of TUSC7 in TNBC.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of TUSC7 expression in 90 paired breast cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues.
• In vitro and in vivo assays to assess the impact of TUSC7 on tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.
• Mechanistic studies including microarray, luciferase reporter assays, and qPCR to explore TUSC7's regulatory pathways.

Main Results:

• Low TUSC7 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival in TNBC patients.
• Overexpression of TUSC7 inhibited tumor growth in vitro and in vivo and enhanced sensitivity to paclitaxel and carboplatin.
• TUSC7 interacts with miR-1224-3p and influences cell cycle, MAPK, PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Conclusions:

• Reduced TUSC7 expression serves as a prognostic marker for adverse outcomes in TNBC.
• TUSC7 exhibits tumor-suppressive functions in breast cancer, potentially through modulation of miR-1224-3p and key signaling pathways.