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KIF21A regulates breast cancer aggressiveness and is prognostic of patient survival and tumor recurrence

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Abstract

Purpose

Invasion of carcinoma cells into surrounding tissue affects breast cancer staging, influences choice of treatment, and impacts on patient outcome. KIF21A is a member of the kinesin superfamily that has been well-studied in congenital extraocular muscle fibrosis. However, its biological relevance in breast cancer is unknown. This study investigated the functional roles of KIF21A in this malignancy and examined its expression pattern in breast cancer tissue.

Methods

The function of KIF21A in breast carcinoma was studied in vitro by silencing its expression in breast cancer cells and examining the changes in cellular activities. Immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer tissue microarrays was performed to determine the expression patterns of KIF21A.

Results

Knocking down the expression of KIF21A using siRNA in MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 human breast cancer cells resulted in significant decreases in tumor cell migration and invasiveness. This was associated with reduced Patched 1 expression and F-actin microfilaments. Additionally, the number of focal adhesion kinase- and paxillin-associated focal adhesions was increased. Immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer tissue microarrays showed that KIF21A was expressed in both the cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments of carcinoma cells. Predominance of cytoplasmic KIF21A was significantly associated with larger tumors and high grade cancer, and prognostic of cause-specific overall patient survival and breast cancer recurrence.

Conclusion

The data demonstrates that KIF21A is an important regulator of breast cancer aggressiveness and may be useful in refining prognostication of this malignant disease.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by Grants NMRC/CIRG/1436/2015 and MOH-000152 from the National Medical Research Council, Singapore. A.J.L. was a recipient of the New Colombo Plan Scholarship from the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. X.F.T. and K.W.L. were recipients of the NUSMed Postdoctoral Fellowships from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore. V.P.C.K. thanks the National University of Singapore for her NUS Research Scholarship.

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Correspondence to George W. Yip.

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Ethics approval 2018/2998 (2011/433/F) for the study was obtained from the SingHealth Centralised Institutional Review Board.

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Lucanus, A.J., Thike, A.A., Tan, X.F. et al. KIF21A regulates breast cancer aggressiveness and is prognostic of patient survival and tumor recurrence. Breast Cancer Res Treat 191, 63–75 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-021-06426-x

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