The various role of microRNAs in breast cancer angiogenesis, with a special focus on novel miRNA-based delivery strategies

After skin malignancy, breast cancer is the most widely recognized cancer detected in women in the United States. Breast cancer (BCa) can happen in all kinds of people, but it's much more common in women. One in four cases of cancer and one in six deaths due to cancer are related to breast cancer. Angiogenesis is an essential factor in the growth of tumors and metastases in various malignancies. An expanded level of angiogenesis is related to diminished endurance in BCa patients. This function assumes a fundamental part inside the human body, from the beginning phases of life to dangerous malignancy. Various factors, referred to as angiogenic factors, work to make a new capillary. Expanding proof demonstrates that angiogenesis is managed by microRNAs (miRNAs), which are small non-coding RNA with 19-25 nucleotides. MiRNA is a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression that controls many critical biological processes. Endothelial miRNAs, referred to as angiomiRs, are probably concerned with tumor improvement and angiogenesis via regulation of pro-and anti-angiogenic factors. In this article, we reviewed therapeutic functions of miRNAs in BCa angiogenesis, several novel delivery carriers for miRNA-based therapeutics, as well as CRISPR/Cas9 as a targeted therapy in breast cancer.

MicroRNAs Involved in Small-cell Lung Cancer as Possible Agents for Treatment and Identification of New Targets

Small-cell lung cancer, a neuro-endocrine type of lung cancers, responds very well to chemotherapy-based agents. However, a high frequency of relapse due to adaptive resistance is observed. Immunotherapy-based treatments with checkpoint inhibitors has resulted in improvement of treatment but the responses are not as impressive as in other types of tumor. Therefore, identification of new targets and treatment modalities is an important issue. After searching the literature, we identified eight down-regulated microRNAs involved in radiation- and chemotherapy-induced resistance, as well as three up-regulated and four down-regulated miRNAs with impacts on proliferation, invasion and apoptosis of small-cell lung cancer cells in vitro. Furthermore, one up-regulated and four down-regulated microRNAs with in vivo activity in SCLC cell xenografts were identified. The identified microRNAs are candidates for inhibition or reconstitution therapy. The corresponding targets are candidates for inhibition or functional reconstitution with antibody-based moieties or small molecules.

Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma: MicroRNAs With Efficacy in Preclinical In Vivo Models

In order to identify new targets and treatment modalities for clear cell renal carcinoma, we surveyed the literature with respect to microRNAs involved in this disease. In this review, we have focused on up- and down-regulated miRs which mediate efficacy in preclinical clear-cell renal carcinoma-related in vivo models. We have identified 10 up-regulated and 33 down-regulated micro-RNAs according to this criterion. As proof-of-concept, micro-RNAs interfering with VEGF (miR-205p) and mTOR (mir-99a) pathways, which are modulated by approved drugs for this disease, have been identified. miRs targeting hypoxia induced factor-2α (HIF-2α) (miR-145), E3 ubiquitinylases speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) (miR 520/372/373) and casitas B-lineage lymphoma (CBL) (miR-200a-3p), interfere with druggable targets. Further identified miRs interfere with cell-cycle dependent kinases, such as CDK2 (miR-200c), CDK4, 6 (miR-1) and CDK4, 9 (206c). Transmembrane receptor Ral interacting protein of 76 kD (RLIP76), targeted by mir-137, has emerged as another important target for ccRCC. Additional miRs and their targets merrying further preclinical validation are discussed.

Could MicroRNAs Be Useful Tools to Improve the Diagnosis and Treatment of Rare Gynecological Cancers? A Brief Overview

Gynecological cancers pose an important public health issue, with a high incidence among women of all ages. Gynecological cancers such as malignant germ-cell tumors, sex-cord-stromal tumors, uterine sarcomas and carcinosarcomas, gestational trophoblastic neoplasia, vulvar carcinoma and melanoma of the female genital tract, are defined as rare with an annual incidence of <6 per 100,000 women. Rare gynecological cancers (RGCs) are associated with poor prognosis, and given the low incidence of each entity, there is the risk of delayed diagnosis due to clinical inexperience and limited therapeutic options. There has been a growing interest in the field of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs of ∼22 nucleotides in length, because of their potential to regulate diverse biological processes. miRNAs usually induce mRNA degradation and translational repression by interacting with the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of target mRNAs, as well as other regions and gene promoters, as well as activating translation or regulating transcription under certain conditions. Recent research has revealed the enormous promise of miRNAs for improving the diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of all major gynecological cancers. However, to date, only a few studies have been performed on RGCs. In this review, we summarize the data currently available regarding RGCs.

Tiny miRNAs Play a Big Role in the Treatment of Breast Cancer Metastasis

Simple Summary

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of tumour progression and metastasis in breast cancer. Through a review of multiple studies, this paper has identified the key regulatory roles of oncogenic miRNAs in breast cancer metastasis including the potentiation of angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the Warburg effect, and the tumour microenvironment. Several approaches have been studied for selective targeting of breast tumours by miRNAs, ranging from delivery systems such as extracellular vesicles and liposomes to the use of prodrugs and functionally modified vehicle-free miRNAs. While promising, these miRNA-based therapies face challenges including toxicity and immunogenicity, and greater research on their safety profiles must be performed before progressing to clinical trials.

Abstract

Distant organ metastases accounts for the majority of breast cancer deaths. Given the prevalence of breast cancer in women, it is imperative to understand the underlying mechanisms of its metastatic progression and identify potential targets for therapy. Since their discovery in 1993, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of tumour progression and metastasis in various cancers, playing either oncogenic or tumour suppressor roles. In the following review, we discuss the roles of miRNAs that potentiate four key areas of breast cancer metastasis—angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, the Warburg effect and the tumour microenvironment. We then evaluate the recent developments in miRNA-based therapies in breast cancer, which have shown substantial promise in controlling tumour progression and metastasis. Yet, certain challenges must be overcome before these strategies can be implemented in clinical trials.

Computational analysis to predict functional role of hsa-miR-3065-3p as an antiviral therapeutic agent for treatment of triple infections: HCV, HIV-1, and HBV

BACKGROUND

Triple infection (TI) with HIV-1, HCV, and HBV (TI) is highly prevalent in intravenous drug users (IDUs). These TI patients have a faster progression to AIDS, and even after antiretroviral therapy (ART) the prognosis of their disease is poor. The use of microRNA (miRNA) to silence genes holds potential applications for anti-HCV therapy.

METHODS

We analyzed the role of human miRNAs (hsa-miRs) in TI by computational analyses for HCV, HIV-1, and HBV showing identity to these three viral genomes.

RESULTS

We identified one unique miRNA, hsa-miR-3065-3p, that shares significant mutual identity to these three viral genomes (∼61-83%). In addition, hsa-miR-99, hsa-miR-548, and hsa-miR-122 also showed mutual identity with these three viral genomes, albeit at a lower degree (∼52-88%).

CONCLUSION

Here, we present evidence using essential components of bioinformatics tools, and hypothesize that utility of hsa-miR-3065-3p and perhaps miR-548 would be potential antiviral therapeutic agents in the treatment of TI patients because it shows near perfect alignment in the seed region for all three viruses. We also make an argument that current proposed therapy with hsa-miR-122 may not be the optimal choice for HCV patients since it lacks essential gene alignment and may be harmful for the patients.