Rosetta Genomics, Ltd., a biotechnology firm based in Philadelphia, has pioneered research efforts into micro-riboneucleic acids (miRNAs) as tools to diagnose and treat different forms of cancer. The miRNAs are small pieces of genetic material (called RNAs) that work as control mechanisms for the assembly of proteins in the body. These materials also act as stable biomarkers in biopsies and other diagnostic tests.
The company revealed the results of a joint study conducted with New York University’s Langone Medical Center in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The article, titled “Pro-tumorigenic Effects of miR-31 Loss in Mesothelioma”, shows the possible benefits of the miRNA “miR-31” in the creation of new treatments for patients suffering from mesothelioma and other related forms of cancer. The study found that “miR-31” has the potential to stop the growth of tumors in mesothelioma patients.
Patients who participated in the study were found to have low quantities of “miR-31”. When researchers administered the miRNA into the study subjects, they found that the cell cycles of the patients’ tumors were slowed down and that the spread and movement of the cancerous cells was significantly curtailed. Also, the study showed that “miR-31” inhibited the cancer cells’ ability to reproduce, thus slowing tumor growth.
Since the company’s founding in 2000, Rosetta Genomics has been developing and testing treatments for cancers and other diseases using miRNA technology. Kenneth A. Berlin, President and CEO of Rosetta Genomics, remarked on the results of the “miR-31” study. He described miRNAs as “the body’s ‘master switches’” and said the study of “miR-31” showed a “significant impact” that a single type of miRNA can make on treating such a dangerous disease.
Historically speaking, malignant mesothelioma has been among the most difficult forms of cancer to diagnose and treat with any level of effectiveness. The disease often does not show symptoms until decades after the patient’s initial exposure period. Symptoms often include chest congestion, decreased lung capacity and other respiratory problems. Once the patients exhibit symptoms of the disease, their life expectancy is two years or less.
The leading cause of mesothelioma is exposure to airborne asbestos fibers. When a patient inhales asbestos dust, the fibers pass through the lung tissue and embed themselves into the pleural mesothelium. Over the years, the fibers attack the DNA structure of the healthy mesothelial cells, turning them into malignant cancer cells.
MesotheliomaWeb.Org welcomes this new development in the treatment of this disease. This cutting-edge research could mean an increased quality of life for patients and their families who are dealing with mesothelioma.
For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/.
