UC San Diego

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer. Inducing severe DNA damage and augmenting apoptosis to destroy cancer cells is thus a major chemotherapy approach, specifically for Triple Negative Breast Cancer cell (TNBC cell). We have uncovered a previously unrecognized role for a specific long non-coding RNA 152 (lncRNA152) induced by DNA damage reagent and function in protect genome stability, significantly overexpressed in TNBC cell. Our studies provide preliminary data that lncRNA152 overexpressed in TNBC cell and could potentially serve as a TNBC diagnostic biomarker. Also, lncRNA152-depleted cells are hypersensitive to the DNA damage inducer induced by the topoisomerase II inhibitor doxorubicin. lncRNA152 expression levels increase in response to DNA damage and are significantly higher in TNBC.

We conclude that lncRNA152 could serve as a TNBC diagnostic biomarker and protects TNBC cells from DNA damage, perceptively providing a powerful approach to improve chemotherapy response.