LncRNA CASC15 regulates breast cancer cell stemness via the miR-654-5p/MEF2D axis

J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2022 May;36(5):e23023. doi: 10.1002/jbt.23023. Epub 2022 Mar 2.

Abstract

Emerging evidence has demonstrated the prognostic and diagnostic potential of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility candidate 15 (lncRNA CASC15) for the progression and tumorigenesis of human cancer. However, how CASC15 modulates the stemness of breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) is not well understood. In this study, high expression of CASC15 in MCF-7 CSCs was reported, relative to MCF-7 cells, and this phenomenon was associated with metastatic lymph nodes, higher TNM stage, and shorter breast cancer survival rates. Further experiments revealed that CASC15 promoted the acquisition of stemness properties of breast cancer cells (BSCCs) by competing with endogenous RNA for miR-654-5p, resulting in overexpression of MEF2D in BCSCs. Overall, breast cancer stemness and tumor development are regulated via the CASC15/miR-654-5p/MEF2D axis. Accordingly, this pathway can be explored for breast cancer therapy.

Keywords: CASC15; MEF2D; breast cancer; miR-654-5p; stemness.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • MEF2 Transcription Factors* / genetics
  • MEF2 Transcription Factors* / metabolism
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / metabolism

Substances

  • MEF2 Transcription Factors
  • MEF2D protein, human
  • MIRN654 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Long Noncoding