Alternative Polyadenylation alters UBASH3B-ZNF652 competition to involve in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

ABSTRACT Alternative polyadenylation (APA) is an RNA-processing mechanism which may affect gene expression. Its involvements in cancers including the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) have been demonstrated in previous studies. Given the lack of biomarkers for TNBC, in this study, we were committed to finding novel biomarkers related to TNBC prognosis from the perspective of APA-mediated microRNA regulation. For this goal, raw bulk RNA sequencing data was collected for the identification of nine survival-related APA events by multivariate Cox regression analysis and forward-selected Likelihood Ratio Test. They showed good prognosis ability on TNBC risk. Of them, the APA event in UBASH3B was proposed as a novel potential biomarker. This event disturbed microRNA regulation on its host gene and other competing tumor genes to possibly involve in the pathogenesis of TNBC.