Therapeutic Evaluation of Micrornas by Molecular Imaging Thillai V

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Therapeutic Evaluation of Micrornas by Molecular Imaging Thillai V Theranostics 2013, Vol. 3, Issue 12 964 Ivyspring International Publisher Theranostics 2013; 3(12):964-985. doi: 10.7150/thno.4928 Review Therapeutic Evaluation of microRNAs by Molecular Imaging Thillai V. Sekar1, Ramkumar Kunga Mohanram1, 2, Kira Foygel1, and Ramasamy Paulmurugan1 1. Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Bio-X Program, Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. 2. Current address: SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur– 603 203, Tamilnadu, India Corresponding author: Ramasamy Paulmurugan, Ph.D. Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1501, South California Avenue, #2217, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Phone: 650-725-6097; Fax: 650-721-6921. Email: [email protected] © Ivyspring International Publisher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). Reproduction is permitted for personal, noncommercial use, provided that the article is in whole, unmodified, and properly cited. Received: 2013.07.26; Accepted: 2013.09.22; Published: 2013.12.06 Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as regulatory molecules of gene expression with multifaceted activities that exhibit direct or indirect oncogenic properties, which promote cell proliferation, differentiation, and the development of different types of cancers. Because of their extensive functional involvement in many cellular processes, under both normal and pathological conditions such as various cancers, this class of molecules holds particular interest for cancer research. MiRNAs possess the ability to act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes by regulating the expression of different apoptotic proteins, kinases, oncogenes, and other molecular mechanisms that can cause the onset of tumor development. In contrast to current cancer medicines, miRNA-based therapies function by subtle repression of gene expression on a large number of oncogenic factors, and therefore are anticipated to be highly efficacious. Given their unique mechanism of action, miRNAs are likely to yield a new class of targeted therapeutics for a variety of cancers. More than thousand miRNAs have been identified to date, and their molecular mechanisms and functions are well studied. Furthermore, they are established as compelling therapeutic targets in a variety of cellular complications. However, the notion of using them as therapeutic tool was proposed only recently, given that modern imaging methods are just beginning to be deployed for miRNA re- search. In this review, we present a summary of various molecular imaging methods, which are instrumental in revealing the therapeutic potential of miRNAs, especially in various cancers. Im- aging methods have recently been developed for monitoring the expression levels of miRNAs and their target genes by fluorescence-, bioluminescence- and chemiluminescence-based imaging techniques. Mature miRNAs bind to the untranslated regions (UTRs) of the target mRNAs and regulate target genes expressions. This concept has been used for the development of fluorescent reporter-based imaging strategies to monitor the functional status of endogenous miRNAs, or the respective miRNAs transiently co-expressed in cells. Bioluminescence-based imaging strategies have been used to investigate various stages of miRNA processing and its involvement in different cellular processes. Similarly, chemiluminsecence methods were developed for in vitro miRNA imaging such as monitoring their therapeutic roles in various cancer cell lines. Key words: miRNAs, molecular Imaging Introduction nucleotides in length spliced from hair-pin loop tran- scripts of pre-miRNAs, which are ∼60 to 80 nucleo- MicroRNAs tides in length. MicroRNAs are coded by approxi- MicroRNAs (miRNA) are single stranded, evo- mately 1% genome in many species [1, 2], and by ap- lutionarily conserved non-coding RNAs of 19 to 25 proximately 3% in the human genome. MicroRNAs http://www.thno.org Theranostics 2013, Vol. 3, Issue 12 965 function as regulatory molecules of gene expression in by messenger degradation or blocking translation cells. MicroRNAs have been shown to regulate the initiation [7]. The miRNA encoding gene sequences expression of a variety of target genes that are in- are mostly located in the intergenic regions. However, volved in different cellular processes, which include some of the miRNA genes are also identified from the cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, stem cell intronic regions of some well-known genes in both the development, and genes that are associated with sense and antisense orientations [8]. MiRNAs are en- various human diseases, including cancer [3]. MiRNA coded either independently, or as a cluster of several coding genes are transcribed into long primary tran- miRNAs under the same promoter [9]. scripts called pri-miRNA by RNA polymerase II, with Functional roles of miRNAs in normal cells, local hairpin structures and flanking sequences. and cells in different pathological conditions Drosha and RNase III are two other nucleases which trim the flanking sequence and produce the precursor MicroRNAs of different types are expressed by miRNA known as pre-miRNA [4]. This entire process cells to maintain cellular homeostasis. By contrast, of pre-miRNA processing occurs inside the nucleus dysregulated expressions of various miRNAs are (Figure 1). Subsequently, the pre-miRNA is actively found in cells at different pathological conditions. It is transported to cytoplasm through nuclear pore com- well known that microRNAs are implicated in various plex by exportin-5, one of the nuclear transport re- human diseases. According to miRbase [18], 1,921 ceptors [5]. Following the export, pre-miRNA is mature miRNAs were identified in human cells. So cleaved by Dicer, the cytoplasmic RNase III [6], into far, 349 miRNAs have been identified to be associated mature miRNA of ~22-bp duplex, and thereafter, ef- with over 163 different human diseases [10], with fector complexes that are termed as ‘miRNP’ (miR- most of them being associated with various cancers. NA-containing ribonucleoprotein complex) or ‘miR- In cancer cells, dysregulated miRNAs are mainly in- ISC’ (miRNA-containing RNA-induced silencing volved in regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, complex) are formed. The 22-bp duplex is not stable in and apoptosis. Apart from cancer, microRNAs are the effector complex; one strand of the duplex, possi- also reported to be associated with cardiovascular bly the one with unstable base pairs at the 5’-end, diseases [11], neurological diseases [12], viral diseases remains active and directs the RISC complex to target [13], and metabolic disorders [14]. mRNA and provides the regulatory silencing effects Figure 1. Schematic representation of miRNA processing and various modes of Imaging. http://www.thno.org Theranostics 2013, Vol. 3, Issue 12 966 MicroRNAs in cancer sis [18]. MiR-21 has been implicated in the develop- ment of glioblastoma, and it is also recognized as an Despite the substantial progress in understand- anti-apoptotic miRNA due to its ability in blocking ing the complex signaling network in cancer, effective genes responsible for controlling apoptosis [19]. therapies remain scarce due to unpredictable disrup- tion of oncogenic pathways, drug resistance, and Tumor suppressor miRNAs drug-induced toxicity. Because cancer is a complex MicroRNAs possess the ability to act as tumor disease that lacks effective therapy, there is an urgent suppressors by regulating the expression of onco- need for researchers and clinicians to combine drugs genes, apoptotic proteins, kinases, and other molecu- targeting more than one pathway and develop novel lar mechanisms that can cause the onset of tumor de- therapeutic strategies. The discovery of microRNAs velopment. MicroRNA let-7 was identified as a tumor provides new hope for accomplishing this task with suppressor in different types of tumors, such as breast the promising success rate. Supported by solid evi- cancer [20], colorectal cancer [21], lung cancer [22], dence for their critical role in cancer and bolstered by and leiomyoma [23]. MiR-122 from let-7 family, and a unique mechanism of action, miRNAs are likely to miR-101, are shown to function as tumor-suppressors yield a new class of targeted therapeutics. In contrast in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) [24]. Recently, to current cancer medicines, miRNA-based therapies miR-409-3p was recognized as a tumor suppressor by function by subtle repression of gene expression on a targeting transcriptional regulator PHF10 in gastric large number of oncogenic factors, and therefore are cancer [25]. MiR-508-3p and miR-509-3p were re- anticipated to be highly efficacious. After completion ported as tumor suppressors in renal cell carcinoma of target validation for several candidates, the devel- (RCC) mainly because their overexpression has been opment of therapeutic miRNAs is now moving to a shown to significantly suppress the proliferation of new stage that involves pharmacological drug deliv- RCC, induce cellular apoptosis, and inhibit tumor cell ery, preclinical toxicology, and regulatory guidelines, migrations in vitro [26]. Similarly, miR-1, miR-206 and using powerful molecular imaging techniques that miR-29 were shown to play a role of tumor suppres- can monitor processes inside the cell and study their sion in rhabdomyosarcoma [27]. Downregulation of complex pathways. these miRNAs stabilizes the expression
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