Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes
Abstract Emerging evidence highlights the key role of microRNA (miR)-21 in cell-to-cell communication and tumorigenesis. However, limited knowledge exists on the levels and clinical meaning of miR-21 in extracellular vesicles (EVs) of patients with breast cancer (BC). We assessed EV-derived miR-21 l...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Biomarker Research |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-025-00724-y |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832585480500150272 |
|---|---|
| author | Claudia Omarini Virginia Catani Ilenia Mastrolia Angela Toss Federico Banchelli Chrystel Isca Daniele Medici Ornella Ponzoni Marco Brucale Francesco Valle Maria Cristina Baschieri Roberto D’Amico Valentina Masciale Chiara Chiavelli Federica Caggia Carlo Augusto Bortolotti Federico Piacentini Massimo Dominici |
| author_facet | Claudia Omarini Virginia Catani Ilenia Mastrolia Angela Toss Federico Banchelli Chrystel Isca Daniele Medici Ornella Ponzoni Marco Brucale Francesco Valle Maria Cristina Baschieri Roberto D’Amico Valentina Masciale Chiara Chiavelli Federica Caggia Carlo Augusto Bortolotti Federico Piacentini Massimo Dominici |
| author_sort | Claudia Omarini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Emerging evidence highlights the key role of microRNA (miR)-21 in cell-to-cell communication and tumorigenesis. However, limited knowledge exists on the levels and clinical meaning of miR-21 in extracellular vesicles (EVs) of patients with breast cancer (BC). We assessed EV-derived miR-21 levels in one hundred women: 30 with early BC (EBC), 30 with metastatic BC on treatment progression (MBC), 30 cancer survivors on follow-up (FU) and 10 healthy donors (HD) as age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. EVs isolated from serum samples were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to detect their concentration, size, morphology and mechanical properties. The levels of miR-21 in EVs was evaluated using real time PCR and compared between groups (EBC, MBC and FU vs. HD) by calculating the fold change and ΔΔCt statistic. EVs size and concentration did not differ significantly among patient groups. In the EBC group, the clinical stage at diagnosis and tumor subtype did not influence miR-21 levels. The levels of miR-21 were higher in the MBC group than in the HD group (p = 0.029), mainly in those who were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ (p = 0.0005) and hormone receptor-positive (p = 0.036). In particular, in the HER2 + subgroup, the miR-21 levels were significantly higher in those with active BC (both EBC and MBC) than in HDs (p = 0.002). Our findings suggest that miR-21 may be a promising biomarker for diagnosis and tumor activity, mainly in HER2 + BC. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-28132765f8f2436f9527f283a746d3d8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2050-7771 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biomarker Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-28132765f8f2436f9527f283a746d3d82025-01-26T12:45:37ZengBMCBiomarker Research2050-77712025-01-011311410.1186/s40364-025-00724-yExtracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypesClaudia Omarini0Virginia Catani1Ilenia Mastrolia2Angela Toss3Federico Banchelli4Chrystel Isca5Daniele Medici6Ornella Ponzoni7Marco Brucale8Francesco Valle9Maria Cristina Baschieri10Roberto D’Amico11Valentina Masciale12Chiara Chiavelli13Federica Caggia14Carlo Augusto Bortolotti15Federico Piacentini16Massimo Dominici17Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital of ModenaLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaUnit of statistical and methodological support to clinical research, University Hospital of ModenaDivision of Medical Oncology, Sant’Antonio Abate Hospital of TrapaniLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaConsiglio Nazionale delle ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo studio dei materiali nanostrutturati (ISMN)Consiglio Nazionale delle ricerche (CNR), Istituto per lo studio dei materiali nanostrutturati (ISMN)Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaUnit of statistical and methodological support to clinical research, University Hospital of ModenaLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaDepartment of training, research and innovation, University Hospital of ModenaDepartment of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio EmiliaDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaLaboratory of Cellular Therapy, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University Hospital of ModenaAbstract Emerging evidence highlights the key role of microRNA (miR)-21 in cell-to-cell communication and tumorigenesis. However, limited knowledge exists on the levels and clinical meaning of miR-21 in extracellular vesicles (EVs) of patients with breast cancer (BC). We assessed EV-derived miR-21 levels in one hundred women: 30 with early BC (EBC), 30 with metastatic BC on treatment progression (MBC), 30 cancer survivors on follow-up (FU) and 10 healthy donors (HD) as age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched controls. EVs isolated from serum samples were characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to detect their concentration, size, morphology and mechanical properties. The levels of miR-21 in EVs was evaluated using real time PCR and compared between groups (EBC, MBC and FU vs. HD) by calculating the fold change and ΔΔCt statistic. EVs size and concentration did not differ significantly among patient groups. In the EBC group, the clinical stage at diagnosis and tumor subtype did not influence miR-21 levels. The levels of miR-21 were higher in the MBC group than in the HD group (p = 0.029), mainly in those who were human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ (p = 0.0005) and hormone receptor-positive (p = 0.036). In particular, in the HER2 + subgroup, the miR-21 levels were significantly higher in those with active BC (both EBC and MBC) than in HDs (p = 0.002). Our findings suggest that miR-21 may be a promising biomarker for diagnosis and tumor activity, mainly in HER2 + BC.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-025-00724-y |
| spellingShingle | Claudia Omarini Virginia Catani Ilenia Mastrolia Angela Toss Federico Banchelli Chrystel Isca Daniele Medici Ornella Ponzoni Marco Brucale Francesco Valle Maria Cristina Baschieri Roberto D’Amico Valentina Masciale Chiara Chiavelli Federica Caggia Carlo Augusto Bortolotti Federico Piacentini Massimo Dominici Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes Biomarker Research |
| title | Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| title_full | Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| title_fullStr | Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| title_short | Extracellular vesicles-derived miR-21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| title_sort | extracellular vesicles derived mir 21 as a biomarker for early diagnosis and tumor activity in breast cancer subtypes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40364-025-00724-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT claudiaomarini extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT virginiacatani extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT ileniamastrolia extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT angelatoss extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT federicobanchelli extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT chrystelisca extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT danielemedici extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT ornellaponzoni extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT marcobrucale extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT francescovalle extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT mariacristinabaschieri extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT robertodamico extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT valentinamasciale extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT chiarachiavelli extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT federicacaggia extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT carloaugustobortolotti extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT federicopiacentini extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes AT massimodominici extracellularvesiclesderivedmir21asabiomarkerforearlydiagnosisandtumoractivityinbreastcancersubtypes |