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MicroRNA-mediated breast cancer metastasis: from primary site to distant organs

Oncogene volume 31, pages 2499–2511 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

The recent upsurge of interest in microRNA (miRNA) is partly attributed to the discovery of the novel roles of miRNAs in many physiological and pathological processes, including tumor development. Research on breast cancer metastasis has also focused on the concept of miRNA, which can act either as promoters or as suppressors of metastases. This review will focus on a series of recent studies that demonstrate the involvement of miRNAs in breast cancer metastasis and will briefly describe various pathways of miRNA-regulated metastasis. Finally, future prospects will be discussed for the potential role of miRNAs as predictive markers and therapeutic agents for patients with breast cancer metastases.

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Abbreviations

BMP:

bone morphogenetic protein

BRMS1:

breast cancer metastasis-suppressor 1

ECM:

extracellular matrix

EGFR:

epidermal growth factor receptor

EMT:

epithelial–mesenchymal transition

FAP-1:

Fas-associated phosphatase-1

HMGA2:

high mobility group AT-hook 2

HOXD10:

homeobox D10

IL-8:

interleukin 8

MERTK:

c-Mer tyrosine kinase

ER alpha:

Estrogen receptor alpha

MMP:

matrix metalloproteinase

ND:

not determined

NF-κB:

nuclear factor-κB

PDCD4:

tumor suppressor programmed cell death 4

RhoA and RhoC:

two members of the Rho GTPase family

SATB1:

special AT-rich sequence-binding protein-1

TGF-β:

Transforming growth factor-β

Tiam1:

T lymphoma invasion and metastasis 1

TIMP3:

tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3

TNC:

tenascin C

TPM1:

tropomyosin 1

Tristetraprolin:

TTP

uPA:

urokinase-type plasminogen activator

VEGF:

vascular endothelial growth factor

ZEBs:

zinc finger E-box-binding homeoboxes

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Bing Xia for a critical review of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Medical Research, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command, Guangzhou, China

    L Wang & J Wang

  2. School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China

    L Wang

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Wang, L., Wang, J. MicroRNA-mediated breast cancer metastasis: from primary site to distant organs. Oncogene 31, 2499–2511 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/onc.2011.444

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