A new MIT research shows that a novel gene therapy, which uses microRNAs to regulate gene expression, may help prevent the metastasis and invasion of breast cancer cells. The finding is important because metastasis is the leading killer of women with breast cancer.
Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer to different parts of the body. Approximately 90 percent of deaths associated with cancer are due to metastasis. Lead researcher Natalie Artzi noted that the combined treatment of the new gene therapy and chemotherapy could treat early-stage breast cancer tumors. The study’s results appear in Nature Communications.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate genes that are involved in a wide range of cell activities. Disruption of microRNAs can influence the activity of their target genes and lead to disorders like cancer. In order to find microRNAs that are implicated in breast cancer, Artzi’s team performed bioinformatics analysis. They identified that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), called rs1071738, has an impact on metastasis of breast cancer. rs1071738 disrupts binding of miR-96 and miR-182, preventing them from controlling the expression of the Palladin protein.
Palladin is involved in the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Artzi’s team found that miR-96 and miR-182 reduced the production of Palladin, and therefore curbed the spread of breast cancer cells. Next, the team used nanoparticles to deliver engineered microRNAs, and discovered that these nanoparticles were able to target a tumor site. Furthermore, the nanoparticles combined with a drug called cisplatin greatly decreased primary tumor growth as well as metastasis.
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