Figure 1.

The experimental strategy to derive and validate the miRNA microsignature associated with stem cell pluripotency and clinical outcome in breast cancer. The diagram shows the strategy to derive and validate the minimal miRNA signature in Test and Validation Groups. A) Shows the approach to the development and validation of the miRNA signature associated with pluripotency in embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Microarrays and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to identify the key microRNAs associated to pluripotent stem cells. B) Shows the strategy to test and validate the pluripotency microsignature in breast cancer. In situ hybridization and microarrays were applied to microRNA detection and quantification. The clinical end point for this analysis was overall survival. ISH = in situ hybridization; RT-PCR = real-time polymerase chain reaction.