Serum miR-181а and miR-25 levels in patients with breast cancer or a benign breast disease

Abstract

Abstract Breast tumours comprise a wide range of disorders requiring different and often personalised treatment plans. The microRNA levels indicating the regulation of gene expression involved in oncogenesis can serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of benign and malignant breast diseases. Circulating miR-181а and miR-25 were quantified here using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in 77 serum samples from patients with invasive breast carcinoma (IBC) (50 samples) or benign breast diseases (16 samples) and ‘potentially healthy’ controls (11 samples). МiR-181а expression was higher in patients with fibroadenoma or fibrocystic disease/adenosis (low risk of malignant transformation) as compared to potentially healthy controls. In IBC patients, miR-181a expression was higher in luminal B-like (HER2−), HER2+ (non-luminal) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) groups, while miR-25 expression was higher in luminal B-like (HER2−) and TNBC groups compared to potentially healthy controls. Compared to the luminal A-like group, miR-181а expression was higher in luminal B-like (HER2−) and HER2+ (non-luminal) groups, whereas miR-25 expression was elevated in luminal B-like (HER2−) and TNBC groups. МiR-25 expression was higher in the luminal B-like (HER2−) group compared to the TNBC group. Thus, miR-181a and miR-25 may be markers of precancerous changes in women with benign breast diseases. In IBC patients, levels of miR-181a and miR-25 can reflect either favourable or adverse processes in a tumour owing to their multiple effects. They can be potentially used as biomarkers in a large diagnostic panel.