AUTHOR=Peng Jing , Liu Wenhui , Tian Jiaju , Shu Yuncong , Zhao Rui , Wang Yuping 

TITLE=Non-coding RNAs as key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cell-and-developmental-biology/articles/10.3389/fcell.2025.1544310

DOI=10.3389/fcell.2025.1544310

ISSN=2296-634X

ABSTRACT=This study examines the critical role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer, a prevalent malignancy with significant metastatic potential. EMT, wherein cancer cells acquire mesenchymal traits, is fundamental to metastasis. ncRNAs—such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs)—modulate EMT by influencing gene expression and signaling pathways, affecting cancer cell migration and invasion. This review consolidates recent findings on ncRNA-mediated EMT regulation and explores their diagnostic and therapeutic potential. Specifically, miRNAs inhibit EMT-related transcription factors, while lncRNAs and circRNAs regulate gene expression through interactions with miRNAs, impacting EMT progression. Given the influence of ncRNAs on metastasis and therapeutic resistance, advancing ncRNA-based biomarkers and treatments holds promise for improving breast cancer outcomes.