Evaluation of hsa-miR-181a-5p miRNA expression, potential targets, and biological processes in the placentas of patients with pregnancy-related breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

• Grant number: 24/21702-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: Laís Rosa Viana
• Grantee: Gabriela Figueiredo Michelazzo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/08931-0 - Cancer and pregnancy: proteomic, transcriptomic and metabolic alterations in placenta from pregnant women with cancer and Wistar pregnant Walker 256 tumour-bearing rats, AP.JP

Abstract

The association between pregnancy-related breast cancer (PrBC) followed by chemotherapy treatment may cause molecular alterations in the placenta, with consequences for fetal development. However, the underlying mechanisms of these changes remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the influence of the miRNA hsa-miR-181a-5p, its potential targets, and biological processes in the placentas of patients with PrBC undergoing chemotherapy. Eight placentas from patients with PrBC followed by chemotherapy treatment (case group) and nine placentas from patients with habitual-risk pregnancies (control group) will be analyzed, with samples provided by the CAISM Biobank - FCM/UNICAMP. Clinical and tumor data of the patients will be obtained through medical record analysis. Total RNA will be extracted from placenta fragments, followed by cDNA synthesis, and the expression of miRNA hsa-miR-181a-5p will be analyzed using RT-qPCR. Potential targets of miRNA hsa-miR-181a-5p will be predicted using the miRWalk software and deep learning methods, including DeepMirTar, miRAW, and miTAR. Functional interpretation of potential miRNA hsa-miR-181a-5p targets will be performed using the bioinformatics tool Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery and classified under Gene Ontology - biological processes. Predictive findings will be compared with transcriptomic and proteomic data from the Young Researcher Project (FAPESP process number: 2021/08931-0). Differences between groups will be analyzed using Fisher's exact test or chi-square test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney test.