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Review
. 2017 Dec 20;2(3-4):143-150.
doi: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2017.12.002. eCollection 2017 Sep.

Translational applications of microRNAs in cancer, and therapeutic implications

Grace T Kwok  1   2   3 , Jing Ting Zhao  1   2 , Jocelyn Weiss  4 , Nancy Mugridge  4 , Himanshu Brahmbhatt  4 , Jennifer A MacDiarmid  4 , Bruce G Robinson  1   2 , Stan B Sidhu  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

Translational applications of microRNAs in cancer, and therapeutic implications

Grace T Kwok et al. Noncoding RNA Res. .

Abstract

The search for targeted novel therapies for cancer is ongoing. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) display a number of characteristics making them an attractive and realisable option. In this review, we explore these applications, ranging from diagnostics, prognostics, disease surveillance, to being a primary therapy or a tool to sensitise patients to treatment modalities such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We take a particular perspective towards miRNAs and their impact on rare cancers. Advancement in the delivery of miRNAs, from viral vectors and liposomal delivery to nanoparticle based, has led to a number of pre-clinical and clinical applications for microRNA cancer therapeutics. This is promising, especially in the setting of rare cancers.

Keywords: Cancer; MicroRNAs; Rare cancers; Translational medicine.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Targeted miR-15a therapy effect on DU-145 xenografts. Targeted miR-15a replacement therapy via EDVs virtually arrests and stabilises prostate cancer xenograft growth. Mean volumes shown for each group. n = 5. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean (SEM). The underscored “days post xenograft treatment” represent the days of EDV/saline treatment. Asterisked time points represent an observed statistically significant tumour volume difference between the EGFREDVmiR-15a and EGFREDVmiR-NC groups. The maximal mean difference in tumour volume between the two treatment groups was 61% on Day 30 (denoted by the boxed asterisk).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
miR-15a effected target knockdown in PC3 xenograft. Systemic miR-15a treatment via EDVs significantly enabled knockdown of mRNA targets. n = 6 for each treatment group; GAPDH was the reference gene for RT-qPCR, error bars show SEM. *Denotes p = 0.03*** denotes p = 0.008.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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