Regulation of Progesterone Receptors in Normal and Breast Cancer Cells through Differential Expression of microRNAs

摘要

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that have an important function in post-translational gene regulation and have been shown to modulate the expression of developmentally important transcription factors. Dysregulation of specific microRNAs has been associated with several cancer types. The study of microRNAs and their potential role in breast cancer is an under- explored area of breast cancer research. This project was designed to explore the possible link between microRNAs and hormone receptors in a breast cancer cell model and how dysregulation of specific microRNAs may be important in the etiology of breast cancer development. In this study we have used microRNA arrays to identify differentially expressed microRNAs between PR positive and PR negative cell lines. We have started to develop novel techniques to validate differential regulation of microRNAs. In addition, we have identified unique microRNA sequences, potentially regulating PR expression. From this study we predict that specific microRNAs have an essential role in the development of hormone dependent breast cancers. Identification of these microRNAs could be used in prognosis of subsets of hormone dependent breast cancer and form therapeutic targets for directed cancer treatment.