A New Receptor-Binding Role For MicroRNAs In Cancer
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
A research team has identified a new role for microRNAs, the small pieces of noncoding RNA that can influence gene expression. They show that miRNAs generated in solid tumors will infiltrate into nearby cells, binding with a toll-like receptor and promoting chronic inflammation – a hallmark of the spread of many solid tumors. The researchers believe they will be able to identify a drug target and small molecules that can block the miRNA-TLR binding interaction, offering up a novel treatment strategy for cancer and possibly other diseases characterized by chronic inflammation.