Carcinogenesis, Teratogenesis & Mutagenesis ›› 2021, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (3): 218-224.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-616x.2021.03.011

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis of differentially expressed microRNAs between the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and its brain metastasis cell line

LUO Jiao1,3, ZHANG Kunchi2,4, ZHOU Li1,3   

  1. 1. Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou;
    2. Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Imaging, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Shanghai 201318;
    3. Department of Oncology and Hematology, Shanghai University of Medicine & Health Sciences Affiliated Zhoupu Hospital, Shanghai 201318;
    4. Guizhou Engineering Vocational College, Tongren 554300, Guizhou, China
  • Received:2020-08-27 Revised:2021-02-24 Online:2021-05-30 Published:2021-06-09

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To analyze differentially expressed miRNAs between the triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 (MB-231) and its brain metastasis cell line MDA-MB-231Brm (MB-231Brm), and to screen biomarkers associated with the brain metastases. METHODS: The Trizol method was used to extract miRNA from MB-231 and MB-231Brm,and PCR was used to construct RNA libraries. After filtering the data and comparing to known miRNA databases,the miRDeep2 method was used to make new miRNA predictions for unknown miRNAs. Then, a differential gene detection method was used to screen the differentially expressed miRNAs. Finally,bioinformatics analysis tools was used to perform functional analysis of the target genes which could be regulated by these miRNAs. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses were used to validate the microarray data. RESULTS: There were differences in the types and expressions of miRNAs between the MB-231 and the MB-231Brm cells. Briefly, 961 kinds of miRNA were shared by both, 164 species of miRNAs only existed in MB-231, and 196 species of miRNAs only existed in MB-231Brm. Compared with MB-231,145 expressions were significantly up-regulated in MB-231Brm,and 64 expressions were significantly down-regulated,and there were no significant differences in 1 122 expressions. Results from differential expression analyses demonstrate that expressions of miR-199a-3p were significantly upregulated in MB-231Brm compared with MB-231 while miR-1246 and miR-4787-5p were down-regulated significantly. GO analyses reveal that genes which were regulated by differentially expressed miRNAs were related to cellular components,molecular functions and biological processes. Results from qPCR analyses confirmed that expressions of miR-1246 were down- regulated in MB-231Brm, compared with MB-231 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There were differentially expressed miRNAs in MB-231 and MB-231Brm cells, and genes that were targeted by these miRNAs were associated with cellular components, molecular functions and biological processes during TNBC brain metastasis. Moreover, expressions of miR-1246 were down-regulated in MB-231Brm,compared with MB-231. Therefore, miR-1246 may participate in the occurrence and development of TNBC brain metastasis.

Key words: triple negative breast cancer, brain metastasis, differentially expression, microRNA, miR-1246

CLC Number: