Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an exceptionally aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Patients often have elevated mortality and recurrence rates, along with a pronounced risk of distant metastasis. Our earlier research highlighted the role of uncarboxylated osteocalcin (GluOC) in fueling TNBC cell proliferation and metastasis
however the molecular underpinnings of its impact on cancer invasion and migration remain enigmatic. In this study, we identified miR-143-3p as a significantly downregulated miRNA following GluOC treatment in TNBC cells. Notably, increased miR-143-3p has been linked to more favorable clinical outcomes in patients with TNBC. miR-143-3p expression has been shown to target and repress the expression of SP7. Furthermore, our findings indicate that GluOC modulates the miR-143-3p/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which in turn fosters the invasive and migratory capabilities of TNBC cells. In a xenograft animal model, we observed that the administration of GluOC led to a marked enhancement in tumor growth. Conversely, the delivery of miR-143-3p agomir was associated with a notable reduction in tumor growth. Notably, concurrent administration of miR-143-3p agomir and GluOC partially abrogated the tumorigenic effects induced by GluOC alone. Furthermore, GluOC downregulated the expression of miR-143-3p. Our study findings indicate that GluOC plays a role in the invasion and migration of TNBC cells by regulating the miR-143-3p/SP7 and miR-143-3p/PI3K/Akt axes. These insights suggest that GluOC and miR-143-3p are integral to the invasive and migratory processes of TNBC cells and may serve as promising targets for therapeutic interventions in TNBC.