Affiliations: Laboratory of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Belgrade-Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Nina Petrovic, Laboratory of Radiobiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Belgrade-Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Mike Petrovica Alasa 12-14, P.O. Box 522, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. Tel.: +381 11 3408 402; Fax: +381 11 644 74 85; E-mail:dragoninspiration@yahoo.com
Abstract: Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease in an urgent need for
developing novel research, classification, and therapy approaches. Breast
cancer 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer 2 (BRCA2) proteins are well described
tumor suppressors with great potential to be the subjects of different
therapies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are genetic elements that might be used to
solve the complex BC puzzle. BRCA1 was described to be the target of up to
100 miRNAs. BRCA1 may directly repress miR-155 activity. In addition,
miR-15/107/182-mediated downregulation of BRCA1 interrupt DNA repair and may
change the course of BC therapy. miR-146a and miR-146-5p silencing BRCA1 may
trigger formation of triple-negative and basal-like sporadic BC cases.
miR-182 might effect the therapy outcome. miR-21 targeted therapy might be
useful for the treatment of BRCA2 mutation carriers. miR-342 overexpression
and the absence of functional BRCA1 gene might cause synthetic lethality, which
might be used as a base for future therapies. The present review discusses
the latest data from studies that focus on the complex network of miRNAs and
BRCA1/2 related BCs, which might be important for improving the therapy within the
patients with triple-negative BC (TNBC) and basal-like BC, and for
understanding the formation of TNBC.
Keywords: Breast cancer, miRNA, BRCA1, BRCA2, TNBC
