2026-10-14T11:40:31Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/33985512 2026-09-24T12:41:12Z category_1 category_4 category_12 category_13 category_14 category_734 category_61 category_64 portal_87 item_type_3 month_year_09_2026

Prognostic value of ZEB1 and its association with miR-7641 in triple-negative breast cancer: a correlative and in vitro study Wentian Zheng (5215358) Dongxing Xu (25104012) Huan Yang (36076) Biophysics Biochemistry Cell Biology Genetics Molecular Biology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Developmental Biology Cancer Metastasis miR-7641 prognosis triple-negative breast cancer ZEB1 Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterised by the absence of specific therapeutic targets and a high tendency for metastasis. This research explored the clinical relevance and functional interaction between the EMT regulator ZEB1 and the oncomir miR-7641 in the progression of TNBC. We analysed ZEB1 expression in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subset of the TCGA-BRCA cohort. A cohort of 60 TNBC patients was used to validate ZEB1 and miR-7641 expression via qRT-PCR and IHC. Associations with clinicopathological parameters were assessed. In vitro, loss-of-function and rescue experiments were conducted in TNBC cell lines to evaluate the functional relationship between miR-7641 and ZEB1. ZEB1 and miR-7641 were co-overexpressed in TNBC tissues and metastatic subgroups. Elevated expression of both molecules is associated with advanced TNM stage, lymphovascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, and reduced survival. Functionally, ZEB1 knockdown inhibited malignant behaviours, but this inhibition was rescued by miR-7641 overexpression, indicating a functional interdependence between the two molecules rather than a simple unidirectional regulatory relationship. The co-overexpression of ZEB1 and miR-7641 characterises an aggressive TNBC subtype with poor prognosis. Our findings reveals a significant positive expression correlation and functional interdependence between miR-7641 and ZEB1 in metastatic TNBC, this molecule pair represents a promising candidate prognostic biomarker panel, while the underlying molecular regulatory mechanism requires further rigorous validation. Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer that can spread quickly and has fewer treatment options than some other types of breast cancer. In this study, we examined a gene called zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 and a small regulatory molecule called microRNA-7641. We analysed public cancer data, tumour samples from 60 patients, and breast cancer cells grown in the laboratory. Both molecules were found at higher levels in tumour tissue than in nearby non-tumour tissue. Higher levels were also linked to signs of more aggressive disease, including spread to the lymph nodes and invasion into lymphatic or blood vessels. Patients with higher levels of zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 also tended to have shorter survival. In laboratory experiments, reducing this gene slowed cancer cell growth, movement, and invasion. Increasing microRNA-7641 partly reversed these effects. These findings suggest that the two molecules may be functionally connected, but further research is needed to understand exactly how they interact and whether they could be useful in patient care. 2026-09-24T12:41:12Z Dataset Dataset 10.6084/m9.figshare.33985512.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/Prognostic_value_of_ZEB1_and_its_association_with_miR-7641_in_triple-negative_breast_cancer_a_correlative_and_in_vitro_study/33985512 CC BY 4.0