Rel-A/PACER/miR7 Axis May Play a Role in Radiotherapy Treatment in Breast Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy has become the standard form of treatment for BC. Radioresistance is an issue that limits the effectiveness of RT. Therefore, predictive biomarkers are needed to choose the appropriate RT for the patient. Activation of the proinflammatory transcription factor, NF-κB, is a frequently noted pathway in BC. Investigating the relationship between RT and alterations in gene expression involved in the immune pathway can help better control the disease. This research investigated the impact of RT on the expression levels of Rel-A, PACER, and miR-7 within the NF-κB signaling pathway. METHODS: Blood samples (n = 15) were obtained from BC patients during four different time intervals: 72 hours prior to initiating RT, as well as one, two, and four weeks following RT completion. Samples were also collected from 20 healthy women who had no immune or cancer-related diseases. Blood RNA was extracted, and cDNA was synthesized. Gene expression level was determined using RT-PCR. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the expression level of Rel-A between patients and normal individual blood samples (p < 0.05). After four weeks of RT, qRT-PCR revealed a significant downregulation of miR-7 and upregulation of Rel-A and PACER in BC patients. Also, there was a significant association between Rel-A expression and monocyte numbers during RT (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The expression level of PACER, miR-7 and Rel-A, changed after RT; therefore, these genes could be used as diagnostic and therapeutic RT markers in BC.