The circRNA-0001361/miR-491/FGFR4 axis is associated with axillary response evaluated by ultrasound following NAC in subjects with breast cancer

• Published in: Biochemistry and biophysics reports Vol. 34; p. 101481
• Main Authors: Sun, Junjie, Li, Lin, Chen, Xiaoran, Yang, Chunfeng, Wang, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Axillary response; Breast cancer; circRNA-0001361; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Ultrasound; Neoadjuvant chemotherapy; Axillary response; Breast cancer; circRNA-0001361; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 2405-5808; 2405-5808
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2023.101481

miR-491-5p has been reported to regulate the expression of FGFR4 and promote gastric cancer metastasis. Hsa_circ_0001361 was demonstrated to play an oncogenic role in bladder cancer invasion and metastasis by sponging the expression of miR-491-5p. This work aimed to study the molecular mechanism of the effect of hsa_circ_0001361 on axillary response in the treatment of breast cancer. Ultrasound examinations was performed to evaluate the response of breast cancer patients receiving NAC treatment. Quantitative real-time PCR, IHC assay, luciferase assay and Western blot were performed to analyze the molecular interaction between miR-491, circRNA_0001631 and FGFR4. Patients with low circRNA_0001631 expression had a better outcome after NAC treatment. The expression of miR-491 was remarkably higher in the tissue sample and serum collected from patients with lower circRNA_0001631 expression. On the contrary, the FGFR4 expression was notably suppressed in the tissue sample and serum collected from patients with lower circRNA_0001631 expression when compared with patients with high circRNA_0001631 expression. The luciferase activities of circRNA_0001631 and FGFR4 were effectively suppressed by miR-491 in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, inhibition of circRNA_0001631 expression using circRNA_0001361 shRNA effectively suppressed the expression of FGFR4 protein in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Up-regulation of circRNA_0001631 expression remarkably enhanced the expression of FGFR4 protein in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. Our study suggested that the up-regulation of hsa_circRNA-0001361 could up-regulate the expression of FGFR4 via sponging the expression of miR-491-5p, resulting in the alleviated axillary response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer. •The therapeutic outcome of NAC treatment is remarkably better in patients with low circRNA_0001631 expression.•Upregulation of miR-491 and downregulation of FGFR4 are observed in patients with low circRNA_0001631 expression.•miR-491 is sponged by circRNA_0001361 and could target FGFR4.•Regulation of circRNA_0001631 remarkably altered the expression of FGFR4.