microRNAs

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Recently we have became aware of the microRNAs (miRNAs) which seem to play a role in oncogenesis. Some of these miRNAs have the potential to become very promising targets for developing cancer therapies. In this study we have taken a look at some of the promising candidates identified in breast cancer; specifically miR-155 and the miR-17-92 cluster. We have examined the potential of these targets to be effected by miRNA silencing techniques. The specific technique we have employed in this study relies on the use of antigomirs, or anti-sense miRNA molecules that were shown to be effective in inhibiting miRNA. We have observed the effects of this prospective therapy in the mouse model of breast cancer. The results indicate that for the miR-155 target, the therapy is effective. Using luciferace imaging of the mice, the tumor size was seen to be decreased when compared to control. Furthermore the known targets of the miR-155 (MAF and SHIP1) were shown to be up- regulated compared to the non-treated control mouse. Following these results we have also preformed a micro-array analysis, comparing the gene expression of the treated tumor cells to non tumor and non treated tumor cells. From this analysis several new genes that could be interacting with the mir-155 were seen. Further studies would have to be conducted to determine the nature of these interactions and most importantly the interactions between them and cancer progression. The mir-17-92 cluster target failed to show the same exuberant results. Compared to the control, little if any reduction of tumor growth is seen. No up regulation of the mir-17-92 gene targets ( E2F1, BIM and PTEN) was observed. It is unclear at why there is a discrepancy between the two targets. Perhap...

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...hat were previously unconnected with breast cancer trough the use of two-dimensional gel analysis. This study was also able to identify protein expression patterns that were different from nucleic acid analysis (Wulfkuhle 2002 ). In another study, Adams et al used a protein biochip to develop an protein expression pattern for differentiating between prostate cancers and benign prostate hyperplasia. Such studies have paved the way for new oncogenic protein marker discovery (Bao-Ling Adam 2002). Through a different approach of using biotanilation and mass spectroscopy analysis, another study was able to identify several protein that correlated with liver metastasis (Borgia 2010) . The approaches described above can be applied to our model. Although it was beyond the scope of this study to look in this direction, this is the future direction of miR-155 research. 

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