miR-145 overexpression triggers alteration of the whole transcriptome and inhibits breast cancer development

Cumulative evidence has associated microRNA (miRNA) with cancer development, and among those miRNAs, miR-145 has been identified as an anti-oncomiRNA. However, the comprehensive mechanisms of action of miR-145 in breast cancer development have not yet been fully elucidated. Herein, we performed next-generation sequencing to detect the expression profiles of the transcriptome and conducted cellular function experiments after miR-145 overexpression. The results verified the inhibitory effects of miR-145 on breast cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion. Sequencing data revealed that miR-145 triggered the alteration of the whole transcriptome and further led to regulation of the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. Our study also identified a list of 49 target mRNAs of miR-145 and specific non-coding RNAs, which could be utilized as potential breast cancer biomarkers. This study might serve as a significant platform for further research on miR-145 along with the ceRNA network in breast cancer.