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Cancer Research MicroRNA can inhibit the invasiveness of skin cancer cells
A special microRNA can slow the invasion of skin cancer cells and thus reduce the risk of lung metastases. Scientists of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have discovered the microRNA, which blocks a known cancer gene and thereby suppresses the invasiveness of black skin cancer cells. In experiments on mice, the equipment of melanoma cells with this microRNA led to the animals developing fewer lung metastases, reports the DKFZ. The results of the researchers were published in the journal "Cancer Research".
The tiny RNA molecules of the microRNA, which consist of only about 20 components, do not contain instructions for building proteins, but according to the experts assume control tasks in the cell. For this purpose, they "directly bind to suitable sequences of protein-coding mRNA molecules that can no longer be translated into a protein," explains the DKFZ in its latest release. With a special microRNA can also block a known cancer gene, thus slowing the invasion of skin cancer cells.
A special microRNA can significantly reduce the invasiveness of black skin cancer. (Image: Dan Race / fotolia.com) MicroRNAs influence cancer growth
"In many types of cancer, the tumor cells form a pattern of microRNAs, which differs from the healthy cells," explains the DKFZ scientist Stefan Eichmüller. Depending on which genes block the microRNAs in the cell, cancer growth can either be driven or slowed down. Thus, microRNAs "have a great influence on how the diseases go," emphasizes the expert. The research team led by Stefan Eichmüller has now investigated whether microRNAs also influence the malignant properties of melanoma (black skin cancer). According to the experts, the form of cancer is particularly feared because the tumors form metastases at an early stage. The invasiveness and mobility of these cancer cells is a good indicator of their malignant properties, which researchers focused on in their current studies, reports the DKFZ.
Invasiveness of cells controllable?
As part of their study, the scientists equipped a human melanoma cell line randomly with each one of the approximately thousand known microRNAs. Subsequently, they were able to compare the effect of the various mircoRNAs by examining which distances the cells traveled in a special gel, explains the DKFZ. As expected, a wide range of walking routes had been observed. These differed, "depending on whether the respective cell is a microRNA Caught which promoted or hindered their evil qualities, "according to the DKFZ. Among the cells that moved only minimally, the team finally identified the microRNA miR-339-3p, which in its blockade significantly increased the transmutation of the cells. This is proof that the molecule actually affects the invasiveness of the cells. However, miR-339-3p has shown virtually no influence on the cell's survivability.
Cancer gene MLC1 is blocked
According to the DKFZ, several of the investigated melanoma cell lines had significantly less miR-339-3p than normal melanocytes from the skin and when the researchers equipped these cell lines with additional miR-339-3p, they lost their invasiveness. Investigations with bioinformatic methods have shown that miR-339-3p blocks the known cancer gene MLC1 in the melanoma cells. This promotes the survival of the cancer cells and its overexpression in melanoma is associated with poor prognosis. According to Stefan Eichmüller, "miR-339-3p apparently blocks a key key molecule that promotes many of the malignant properties of melanoma cells."
Less lung metastases formed
In experiments on mice, the researchers were able to show that transmission of melanoma cells equipped with miR-339-3p actually resulted in the formation of fewer lung metastases in mice than in conspecifics to which untreated cancer cells had been transferred. Previous studies have identified microRNAs that inhibit the formation of MCL1 in other cancers and thereby reduce the invasiveness of cells. "With miR-339-3p, we have now discovered a true new tumor suppressor for melanoma," said Eichmüller. In further investigations, it should now be examined whether miR-339-3p is also suitable as a diagnostic marker with which the aggressiveness of melanomas can be assessed. (Fp)