Micro ribonucleic acid-448 regulates zinc finger e-box binding homeobox 1 to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells and increase their sensitivity to chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of Zinc Finger E-box Binding Homeobox 1 (ZEB1) regulation by Micro Ribonucleic acid (miR)-448 on Breast Cancer (BC) cells and their sensitivity to chemotherapy. METHODS: miR-448 and ZEB1 mRNA levels in BC and normal tissues were detected by qPCR, and ZEB1 protein was detected by Western Blotting (WB). The correlation between miR-448 and tumor metastasis, clinical staging, and ZEB1 expression was analyzed. MCF-7 cells were transfected or co-transfected with the miR-448 mimic, oe-ZEB1, or their negative controls. Changes in miR-448 and ZEB1 expression were detected by qPCR and WB. Cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assays, invasion changes were analyzed by Transwell assays, and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: miR-448 expression in BC tissues was lower than that in normal tissues, while ZEB1 expression was increased in the former. ZEB1 expression was lower in BC patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without. In patients with clinical stage I–III BC, miR-448 expression decreased with an increase in tumor stage, which was negatively correlated with ZEB1 expression. Upregulation of miR-448 expression can suppress MCF-7 cell proliferation and invasion and promote apoptosis. Upregulation of ZEB1 expression in cells overexpressing miR-448 can partially reverse the inhibition of BC cell growth induced by miR-448. miR-448 can enhance the sensitivity of cells toward paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil. CONCLUSIONS: miR-448 suppresses cell proliferation and invasion and promotes apoptosis by targeting ZEB1. Moreover, it can increase the sensitivity of cells toward paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil.