Molecular Cancer: Researchers Find New Targets for Breast Cancer

A study led by Dr. Suresh Alahari, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Louisiana Health Science Center (LSU Health), first discovered that a small piece of RNA can dysregulate cellular energy metabolism, which is a major feature of cancer. These findings have found a new target for therapeutic intervention in breast cancer, and the findings are recently published in Molecular Cancer.

MicroRNAs are a class of single-stranded small RNA molecules that play important regulatory roles in cell biology, and they bind to target genes to reduce their function. MicroRNAs can be used both as a carcinogen and as a tumor suppressor.

The research team has previously found that miR-27b is a breast cancer carcinogen, and researchers have found it to be high in breast cancer tissue. In this study, the researchers found that this molecule inhibited the production of a protein called PDHX. PDHX involves cellular metabolism, and cellular metabolism can affect cell proliferation. Lack of PDHX means that cells can rapidly produce new cells and promote tumor growth and progression. The team found a significant reduction in PDHX levels in breast cancer cells.

"Based on these data, we believe that inhibition of miR-27b is a new treatment for breast cancer," Dr. Alahari said. "Inhibition of miR-27b promotes PDHX expression, which inhibits tumor proliferation through several established metabolic cascades."

According to NCI statistics, the number of new breast cancer patients in the United States will be higher than other cancers in 2018. NCI estimates that there will be 266,120 new cases of breast cancer, and 40,920 will die from breast cancer. "The use of microRNA analogs or anti-microRNA agents will counteract their function, and reversing oncogene metabolism will be a unique cancer treatment strategy. Potential clinical applications of miRNAs include diagnostic tests, disease prevention, and prognostic markers, which make miRNAs a unique and attractive option for reducing cancer morbidity and mortality."

Collected by Creative BioMart.