Letter to the Editor
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World J Stem Cells. Apr 26, 2022; 14(4): 310-313
Published online Apr 26, 2022. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i4.310
Downregulation of miRNA-21 and cancer stem cells after chemotherapy results in better outcome in breast cancer patients
Shailendra Dwivedi, Puneet Pareek, Jeewan Ram Vishnoi, Praveen Sharma, Sanjeev Misra
Shailendra Dwivedi, Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Gorakhpur India, Gorakhpur 273008, Uttar Pradesh, India
Puneet Pareek, Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
Jeewan Ram Vishnoi, Surgical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
Praveen Sharma, Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
Sanjeev Misra, Department of Surgical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
Sanjeev Misra, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow 226003, Uttar Pradesh, India
Author contributions: Dwivedi S conducted the experiment; Pareek P, Vishnoi JR, and Misra S provided clinical guidance; and Sharma P interpreted and analyzed the results.
Supported by SERB: Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, No. NPDF: SERB 2015/000322.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Funding support was received by SERB: NPDF, New Delhi.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shailendra Dwivedi, MAMS, Assistant Professor, Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Gorakhpur India, Kunra Ghat Gorakhpur, Gorakhpur 273008, Uttar Pradesh, India. tarang2016@gmail.com
Received: July 22, 2021
Peer-review started: July 22, 2021
First decision: August 8, 2021
Revised: August 14, 2021
Accepted: April 2, 2022
Article in press: April 2, 2022
Published online: April 26, 2022
Processing time: 278 Days and 5 Hours
Abstract

Epigenetic modifications have been observed as a decline in miRNA-21 expression and breast cancer stem cell (CSC) population after 3 cycles of standard chemotherapy. The epigenetic response (miRNAs expression) and CSCs are also correlated in patients with Breast Cancer. In patients who tolerated chemotherapy well, miRNA-21 (non-coding RNA) expression decreased significantly after three cycles of chemotherapy. The miRNA-21 expression in breast cancer tissue was quantified by quantitative PCR (real-time PCR) using the standard protocol. In addition, breast CSCs (CD44+/CD24-) were also decreased in these patients. The miRNA-21 regulates cell division, proliferation, and autophagy of cancerous cells (as it targets phosphatase and tensin homolog/AKT/transcription factor EB/programmed cell death 4/autophagy-related protein 5 and chemotherapy also produces similar effects), thereby contributing to these benefits. Therefore, when all of the targets on genes have been explored by mimic miRNA, chemotherapy combined with anti-miRNA21 therapy may prove useful in the care of cancer patients.

Keywords: Epigenetic modification; miRNA-21; Breast carcinoma; Autophagy; Chemotherapy; Breast cancer stem cells

Core Tip: Epigenetic modification by non-coding RNAs (miRNA), along with the discovery of a cancer stem cell (CSC) database for all cancer types, has revolutionized oncology. The hallmarks of cancer include six capabilities acquired during the development of human tumors. These include sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, facilitating replicative immortality, promoting angiogenesis, and promoting invasion and metastasis. These hallmarks are primarily manifestations of genome instability, which facilitates their acquisition, epigenetic modifications, and CSCs (Heterogenic tissue populations), which play vital roles in nurturing multiple hallmark functions. These alterations can be explored and targeted for better cancer management.