Association of miR-181a-5p with Lantana camara leaf extract-mediated inhibition of proliferation, survival, and migration in luminal A-type MCF-7 cells and triple-negative type MDA-MB-231 cells

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies among females globally. Treatment options for breast cancer are limited due to their side effects and chemoresistance, especially for the triple-negative subtype. Therefore, finding new treatment options is an utmost necessity to fight against breast cancer. Lantana camara is known for its medicinal properties against different maladies and is also reported to show cytotoxicity against different cancer cells. Our previous report on MDA-MB-231 cells has also demonstrated its cytotoxic effect against the breast cancer cell lines. In this context, Lantana camara may be of therapeutic potential against breast cancer, and to further understand the mode of action of the leaf extract, its effect on the regulation of miR-181a-5p has been explored. Here, we report that L. camara could upregulate the expression of miR-181a-5p in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with concomitant decrease in miR-181a target genes, BCL-2, MCL-1, and CDKN3. It was also observed that overexpression of miR-181a can induce cell death in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, and the cell death increased in the presence of Lantana camara leaf extract. miR-181a can also impede migration in both cell lines in the presence of L. camara. GFP reporter assay confirms the interaction of miR-181a with the 3 prime untranslated region of the CDKN3 gene. In conclusion, it can be inferred that miR-181a-5p can be implemented as an important therapeutic molecule in combination with Lantana camara extract for breast cancer.