microRNA against myeloid leukemia
A cure for aggressive blood cancer has been found
Cancer researchers at the University of Cincinnati have discovered that a severe malignant blood disease known as acute myeloid leukemia can be cured by enhancing the activity of a certain type of microRNA – short ribonucleic acid molecules that regulate the functions of genes. The results of the study are published in the journal Nature Communications (Jiang et al., miR-22 has a potential anti-tumour role with therapeutic potential in acute myeloid leukaemia).
Acute myeloid leukemia is a malignant tumor of hematopoietic tissue, which leads to a rapid proliferation of white blood cells (leukemic cells) originating from the precursors of leukocytes. They accumulate in the bone marrow, suppressing the development of normal blood cells, reducing the number of red blood cells, platelets and leukocytes. Leukemia cells themselves, unlike normal white cells, are not able to protect the body from infection.
In a new study using laboratory mice, scientists have shown that the development of acute myeloid leukemia is associated with a decrease in the activity of the miR-22 molecule. This compound belongs to the class of small non-coding RNAs (microRNAs). microRNAs mate with sections of informational RNA, preventing its participation in the process of translation – protein synthesis.
Previous work has shown that miR-22 is associated with breast cancer and blood diseases that may precede leukemia. The researchers found that if you increase the activity of the gene that is responsible for the synthesis of miR-22, then leukemic cells begin to experience difficulties in development, growth and reproduction. This type of microRNA suppresses the functions of some cancer-related genes and blocks disease-promoting metabolic pathways.
The development of leukemia is caused by the loss of DNA responsible for the synthesis of miR-22, and, as scientists have shown, it can be stopped if nanoparticles that carry microRNA are injected into the bone marrow cells of mice.
According to scientists, most patients with acute myeloid leukemia do not live even five years, even with chemotherapy. That is why it is necessary to develop new effective methods of treatment based on knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms that contribute to the development of blood cancer.
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27.04.2016