MicroRNA signature of stromal-epithelial interactions in prostate and breast cancers

Exp Cell Res. 2024 Aug 15;441(2):114171. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114171. Epub 2024 Jul 17.

Abstract

Stromal-epithelial communication is an absolute necessity when it comes to the morphogenesis and pathogenesis of solid tissues, including the prostate and breast. So far, signalling pathways of several growth factors have been investigated. Besides such chemical factors, non-coding RNAs such as miRNAs have recently gained much interest because of their variety and complexity of action. Prostate and breast tissues being highly responsive to steroid hormones such as androgen and estrogen, respectively, it is not surprising that a huge set of available literature critically investigated the interplay between such hormones and miRNAs, especially in carcinogenesis. This review showcases our effort to highlight hormonally-related miRNAs that also somehow perturb the regular stromal-epithelial interactions during carcinogenesis in the prostate and breast. In future, we look forward to exploring how hormonal changes in the tissue microenvironment bring about miRNA-mediated changes in stromal-epithelial interactome in carcinogenesis and cancer progression.

Keywords: AR; Androgen; Breast; Cancer-associated fibroblasts; ER; Estrogen; Exosomes; Prostate; Stromal-epithelial interaction; miRNA.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Cell Communication / genetics
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Stromal Cells* / metabolism
  • Stromal Cells* / pathology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs