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Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy
Published on: October 4, 2019
Glioblastoma and MiRNAs
Swalih P Ahmed1, Javier S Castresana2, Mehdi H Shahi1
1Interdisciplinary Brain Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002, India.
Abstract:
Glioblastoma (GB) is one of the most common types of lethal brain tumors. Although several treatment options are available including surgery, along with adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy, the disease has a poor prognosis and patients generally die within 14 months of diagnosis. GB is chemo and radio resistant. Thus, there is a critical need for new insights into GB treatment to increase the chance of therapeutic success. This is why microRNA (miRNA) is being potentially considered in the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma. The objective of our review is to provide a holistic picture of GB up-regulated and down-regulated miRNA, in relationship with the expression of other genes, cell signaling pathways, and their role in GB diagnosis and treatment. MiRNA treatment is being considered to be used against GB together with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Moreover, the use of miRNA as a diagnostic tool has also begun. Knowing that miRNAs are isolated in almost all human body fluids and that there are more than 3000 miRNAs in the human genome, plus the fact that each miRNA controls hundreds of different mRNAs, there is still much study needed to explore how miRNAs relate to GB for its proliferation, progression, and inhibition.
Insights
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) show promise for glioblastoma (GB) treatment and diagnosis. This review explores their role in gene expression and pathways, offering new therapeutic avenues for this lethal brain tumor.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Glioblastoma (GB) is a lethal brain tumor with a poor prognosis, often resistant to current treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
- Existing therapies offer limited survival benefits, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as potential regulators in cancer development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of up-regulated and down-regulated miRNAs in glioblastoma.
- To examine the relationship between miRNA expression, gene expression, and cellular signaling pathways in GB.
- To explore the potential of miRNAs in glioblastoma diagnosis and treatment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating miRNA expression in glioblastoma.
- Analysis of miRNA roles in gene regulation and signaling pathways relevant to GB.
- Synthesis of current research on miRNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for GB.
Main Results:
- Specific miRNAs are found to be dysregulated (up-regulated or down-regulated) in glioblastoma.
- These miRNAs influence key genes and signaling pathways involved in GB proliferation and progression.
- miRNAs are implicated in both the development and potential inhibition of glioblastoma.
Conclusions:
- MicroRNAs represent a promising area for developing novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions for glioblastoma.
- Further research is crucial to fully elucidate the complex roles of miRNAs in glioblastoma and optimize their clinical application.
- Combining miRNA-based strategies with conventional therapies like chemotherapy and radiotherapy may enhance treatment efficacy.
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