title: RNA sequencing identifies specific PIWI-interacting small non-coding RNA expression patterns in breast cancer.
abstract: PIWI-interacting small non-coding RNAs (piRNAs) are genetic and epigenetic regulatory factors in germline cells, where they maintain genome stability, are involved in RNA silencing and regulate gene expression. We found that the piRNA biogenesis and effector pathway are present in human breast cancer (BC) cells and, analyzing smallRNA-Seq data generated from BC cell lines and tumor biopsies, we identified >100 BC piRNAs, including some very abundant and/or differentially expressed in mammary epithelial compared to BC cells, where this was influenced by estrogen or estrogen receptor β, and in cancer respect to normal breast tissues. A search for mRNAs targeted by the BC piRNome revealed that eight piRNAs showing a specific expression pattern in breast tumors target key cancer cell pathways. Evidence of an active piRNA pathway in BC suggests that these small non-coding RNAs do exert transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulatory actions also in cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarallo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nassa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giurato
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Santamaria
authors.affiliation: Fondazione IRCCS SDN, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cordella
authors.affiliation: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Centro di Ricerca per l'Orticoltura, Pontecagnano, SA, Italy.
authors.forename: Concita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantarella
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, SA, Italy. Division of Molecular Pathology and Medical Genomics, 'SS. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Hospital, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weisz
mesh_terms: D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens; C421088:PIWIL1 protein, human; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated