The synergistic effect of CDKN2B-AS1 and SPC25 on triple-negative breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence suggests that long non-coding ribonucleic acid (RNA) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) and messenger RNA (mRNA) spindle component 25 (SPC25) contribute to tumorigenesis and progression in various cancers. However, the synergistic effect between CDKN2B-AS1 and SPC25 has not yet been fully elucidated in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). This study sought to examine the synergistic effect of CDKN2B-AS1 and SPC25 and uncover a novel mechanism for the progression of TNBC. METHODS: The transcriptome profiles of TNBC in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were calculated for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene co-expression networks were constructed via a weighted correlation network analysis. We validated the relationship between CDKN2B-AS1 and SPC25 by bioinformatics and in-vitro studies (including Cell Counting Kit-8, transwell assays, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction). RESULTS: CDKN2B-AS1 was found to be carcinogenic and was significantly upregulated and co-expressed with elevated SPC25 expression levels in the TNBC cells and sequencing profiles. Notably, the SPC25 mRNA levels were associated with poor clinical outcomes in TNBC patients. Specifically, the knockdown of CDKN2B-AS1 significantly inhibited TNBC cell proliferation and migration. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a novel cancer-promoting regulation axis. The co-expression of CDKN2B-AS1 and SPC25 is expected to serve as a powerful candidate biomarker for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in TNBC.