Regulation of Breast Cancer Progression by Noncoding RNAs

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the cardinal cause of cancer-related deaths among women across the globe. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying BC invasion and metastasis remains insufficient. Recent studies provide compelling evidence on the prospective contribution of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and the association of different interactive mechanisms between these ncRNAs with breast carcinogenesis. MicroRNAs (small ncRNAs) and lncRNAs (long ncRNAs) have been explored extensively as classes of ncRNAs in the pathogenesis of several malignancies, including BC. Objective: In this review, we aim to provide a better understanding of the involvement of miRNAs and lncRNAs and their underlying mechanisms in BC development and progression that may assist the development of monitoring biomarkers and therapeutic strategies to effectively combat BC. Conclusion: These ncRNAs play critical roles in cell growth, cell cycle regulation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, migration, and apoptosis among others, and were observed to be highly dysregulated in several cancers. The miRNAs and lncRNAs were observed to interact with each other through several mechanisms that governed the expression of their respective targets and could act either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes, playing a crucial part in breast carcinogenesis.