Cell-free circulating miRNAs-lncRNAs-mRNAs as predictive markers for breast cancer risk assessment in women exposed to indoor air pollution

Abstract

Nearly 2.4 billion people globally (one-third of the world's population) use solid biomass fuels as their primary energy source for cooking which is a major cause of household air pollution. According to sustainable development goal 7, women primarily responsible for household cooking bear a significant health burden by using solid biomass-based stoves that often does not meet emission targets. As an imperative source of total suspended particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds, biomass fumes exposure is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Long-term use of solid fuel in household cooking may lead to epigenetic reprogramming, including changes in the expression patterns of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) intimately linked to increased breast cancer (BC) risk. Currently, no specific non-invasive epigenetic markers are available to diagnose BC at an early stage. Cell-free circulating epigenomic signatures such as miRNAs, lncRNAs, and mRNAs regulate intrinsic molecular signaling pathways in breast cancer. Therefore, it is indispensable to assess the feasibility of establishing miRNAs, lncRNAs, and mRNAs as combinatorial triad biomarkers for the early risk assessment and effective management of breast cancer in vulnerable populations. Here, we critically examined various facets entailed in miRNAs-lncRNAs-mRNAs deregulation that might enhance our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying breast cancer risk associated with biomass fumes exposure.

Keywords

• Environmental health
• Solid fuel
• Household air pollution
• Biomass fumes
• Translational research