Here, we identified microRNA-27b (miR-27b) as a key regulator for the generation of a side-population in breast cancer cells that showed CSC properties, and also found that the anti-type II diabetes (T2D) drug metformin reduced this side-population via miR-27b-mediated repression of ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family member 1 (ENPP1), which is involved in T2D development.
Insulin resistance, obesity, and hyperlipidemia (high lipid levels in the blood) have a strong connection with T2D and several miRNAs influence these clinical outcomes such as miR-143, miR-103, and miR-107, miR-29a, and miR-27b.
We recently reported that miR-126, miR-130a, miR-21, miR-27a, and miR-27b were downregulated in EPCs from type II diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, and downregulation of miR-126 impairs EPC function.