Inhibition of miRNA-34a promotes triple negative cancer cell proliferation by promoting glucose uptake

miRNA-34a is a tumor suppressor that is expressed in a variety of different types of cancer. The current study aimed to determine the involvement of miRNA-34a in triple negative breast cancer. miRNA-34a expression was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in the breast tissue and serum of patients with triple negative breast cancer and of healthy controls. The diagnostic value of miRNA-34a in triple negative breast cancer was analyzed using receiver operating curve analysis. A miRNA-34a inhibitor was transfected into triple negative breast cancer cells and the effects on cell proliferation, glucose uptake and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) expression were detected using a cell counting kit-8 assay, glucose uptake assay and western blot analysis, respectively. The results demonstrated that miRNA-34a was downregulated in patients with triple negative breast cancer compared with healthy controls and the downregulation of miRNA-34a effectively distinguished patients with triple negative breast cancer from healthy controls. miRNA-34a inhibition promoted cancer cell proliferation, accelerated glucose uptake and upregulated GLUT1. The current study concluded that the inhibition of miR-34a may promote triple negative cancer cell proliferation by promoting glucose uptake.