Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 13, 2025

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis

Published on: March 30, 2019

Microribonucleic Acid-15a-5p Alters Adriamycin Resistance in Breast Cancer Cells by Targeting Cell Division

Jiang-Tao Zhang¹, Jun Chen², Hui-Chao Ruan¹

¹Department of Gastrointestinal and Gland Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China.

Cancer Management and Research

|November 17, 2021

Abstract

Objective:

Although chemotherapy is one of the first line clinical treatment of tumors, the efficacy of chemotherapy has been severely restricted by the frequent occurrence of drug resistance phenomenon. Multiple studies found that miRNAs can regulate the chemosensitivity of tumor cells. Here, this study aimed to assess the potential role of the miR-15a-5p/cell division cycle-related protein 4 (CDCA4) axis in breast cancer (BC) resistance to Adriamycin.

Methods:

In the present study, the relative expression of miRNA-15a-5p in MCF-7/ADR, MCF-7 and Hs578Bst was measured by qRT-PCR. MCF-7/ADR cells underwent transfection with an miR-15a-5p mimic and inhibitor, respectively. Transwell assays, flow cytometry and CCK8 were performed to examine the potential effects of the abnormal expression of miR-15a-5p. The association of aberrant miR-15a-5p expression with Adriamycin resistance in BC was determined in cultured MCF-7/ADR cells. Bioinformatics was employed to predict the genes targeted by miR-15a-5p. Moreover, the correlation between miR-15a-5p and its target gene, CDCA4, was evaluated based on qRT-PCR data.

Results:

The expression of miR-15a-5p was significantly downregulated in MCF/ADR cells compared with MCF-7 and Hs578Bst cell lines. In the presence of Adriamycin, miR-15a-5p overexpression significantly increased cell chemosensitivity, as well as MCF-7/ADR cell proliferation, invasion, and migration, while promoting apoptosis and inducing cell-cycle arrest in the synthesis phase. CDCA4 RNA interference enhanced these effects as shown in our previous study. Bioinformatics identified CDCA4 as an miR-15a-5p target gene. qRT-PCR further demonstrated that CDCA4 and miR-15a-5p expression levels were inversely correlated.

Conclusion:

Adriamycin resistance in BC cells was, at least in part, altered by mRNA-15a-5p via regulation of its target gene, CDCA4, by controlling the cell cycle, which may provide some novel ideas for BC chemotherapy in the future.

Keywords:

Adriamycin resistance CDCA4 breast cancer breast cancer patient stratification cell-free nucleic acids miR-15a-5p molecular targets

More Related Videos

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Through the Looking Glass: Time-lapse Microscopy and Longitudinal Tracking of Single Cells to Study Anti-cancer Therapeutics

Published on: May 14, 2016

Pooled shRNA Library Screening to Identify Factors that Modulate a Drug Resistance Phenotype

Pooled shRNA Library Screening to Identify Factors that Modulate a Drug Resistance Phenotype

Published on: June 17, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Abnormal Proliferation

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

Inhibition of Cdk Activity

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...

Negative Regulator Molecules

Negative Regulator Molecules

Positive regulators allow a cell to advance through cell cycle checkpoints. Negative regulators have an equally important role as they terminate a cell’s progression through the cell cycle—or pause it—until the cell meets specific criteria.

Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division

Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division

Several external and internal factors influence the initiation and inhibition of cell division. For instance, the death of nearby cells or the release of human growth hormone (hGH) promotes cell division. In contrast, lack of hGH or crowding of cells can inhibit cell division.
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Immune profiling in trigeminal neuralgia reveals altered cytokine and chemokine signatures in cerebrospinal fluid and serum.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2026

Catalpa lutea (Bignoniaceae), a new species from north, central, and east China.

PhytoKeys·2026

Fungal Community Assembly in Standing Deadwood: Stochastic vs. Deterministic Processes Across Decay Stages.

Environmental microbiology reports·2025

Desensitization of TRPA1 by dimethyl itaconate attenuates acute and chronic pain in mice.

Frontiers in pharmacology·2025

Variation in Microbiota and Chemical Components Within Pinus massoniana During Initial Wood Decay.

Microorganisms·2025

Impact of Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastics on the Biological Traits of the Japanese Carpenter Ant, Camponotus japonicus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).

Insects·2025

See all related articles