Plasma miR-141-3p as a Potential Diagnostic Biomarker for Early Breast Cancer and a Functional Regulator with Tumor-Suppressive Effects in Luminal A Breast Cancer Cells.

Authors

Thuy Thi Chung Duong, Thanh Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Luan Huu Huynh, Nga Thi Nguyen, Hue Thi Nguyen

Published in

Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP. Volume 27. Issue 9. Pages 3227-3235. Sep 01, 2026. Epub Sep 01, 2026.

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most common malignancy in women worldwide, highlighting the need for reliable non-invasive biomarkers for early detection. miR-141-3p, a member of the miR-200 family, has shown context-dependent roles in tumorigenesis, but its diagnostic specificity and clinical relevance in the plasma of patients with BC remain incompletely understood. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the diagnostic potential and functional role of miR-141-3p in BC.
Plasma miR-141-3p levels were quantified in breast cancer patients and healthy controls using RT-qPCR. Diagnostic capacity was evaluated via receiver‑operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Associations between circulating miR-141-3p expression and BC risk were assessed using odds ratios (ORs). In vitro functional assays in MCF‑7 cells (miR‑141‑3p overexpression) examined effects on proliferation, migration, and regulation of target genes.
Circulating miR-141-3p was significantly upregulated in BC patients. ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.877 (95% CI: 0.782-0.971), demonstrating good diagnostic performance. No statistically significant stage-dependent difference was observed, suggesting that circulating miR-141-3p dysregulation may not simply reflect tumour burden. In vitro, miR‑141‑3p overexpression suppressed MCF‑7 cell proliferation and migration and reduced expression of EMT‑associated markers. Furthermore, strong inverse correlations were observed between miR‑141‑3p levels and its predicted oncogenic targets.
Circulating miR‑141‑3p shows promise as a non‑invasive biomarker for BC detection and risk discrimination, although its specificity as a stand-alone marker may be limited. Its in vitro effects on proliferation, migration, and EMT markers indicate potential functional relevance. Further validation in larger cohorts and through in vivo studies is warranted.

PMID:
42808389
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 29 Sep 2026.

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