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MicroRNA-21 knockdown disrupts glioma growth in vivo and displays synergistic cytotoxicity with neural precursor cell delivered S-TRAIL in human gliomas

Cancer Res. 2007 Oct 1;67(19):8994-9000. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-07-1045.

Abstract

Despite the development of new glioma therapies that allow for tumor-targeted in situ delivery of cytotoxic drugs, tumor resistance to apoptosis remains a key impediment to effective treatment. Mounting evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNA) might play a fundamental role in tumorigenesis, controlling cell proliferation and apoptosis. In gliomas, microRNA-21 (miR-21) levels have been reported to be elevated and their knockdown is associated with increased apoptotic activity. We hypothesized that suppression of miR-21 might sensitize gliomas for cytotoxic tumor therapy. With the use of locked nucleic acid (LNA)-antimiR-21 oligonucleotides, bimodal imaging vectors, and neural precursor cells (NPC) expressing a secretable variant of the cytotoxic agent tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (S-TRAIL), we show that the combined suppression of miR-21 and NPC-S-TRAIL leads to a synergistic increase in caspase activity and significantly decreased cell viability in human glioma cells in vitro. This phenomenon persists in vivo, as we observed complete eradication of LNA-antimiR-21-treated gliomas subjected to the presence of NPC-S-TRAIL in the murine brain. Our results reveal the efficacy of miR-21 antagonism in murine glioma models and implicate miR-21 as a target for therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, our findings provide the basis for developing combination therapies using miRNA modulation and cytotoxic tumor therapies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Caspases / metabolism
  • Cell Growth Processes / physiology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Glioblastoma / genetics
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Glioblastoma / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Lentivirus / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • MicroRNAs / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / administration & dosage
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / genetics*
  • Stem Cells / physiology*
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / genetics*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • Caspases