Prevention of Metastasis by Suppression of Stemness Genes Using a Combination of microRNAs

J Med Chem. 2024 Apr 11;67(7):5591-5602. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02199. Epub 2024 Mar 20.

Abstract

We propose an original strategy for metastasis prevention using a combination of three microRNAs that blocks the dedifferentiation of cancer cells in a metastatic niche owing to the downregulation of stemness genes. Transcriptome microarray analysis was applied to identify the effects of a mixture of microRNAs on the pattern of differentially expressed genes in human breast cancer cell lines. Treatment of differentiated CD44- cancer cells with the microRNA mixture inhibited their ability to form mammospheres in vitro. The combination of these three microRNAs encapsulated into lipid nanoparticles prevented lung metastasis in a mouse model of spontaneous metastasis. The mixture of three microRNAs (miR-195-5p/miR-520a/miR-630) holds promise for the development of an antimetastatic therapeutic that blocks tumor cell dedifferentiation, which occurs at secondary tumor sites and determines the transition of micrometastases to macrometastases.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Down-Regulation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • MicroRNAs* / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Metastasis / prevention & control

Substances

  • MicroRNAs