Capturing intracellular oncogenic microRNAs with self-assembled DNA nanostructures for microRNA-based cancer therapy.

ABSTRACT: Aberrantly overexpressed oncogenic microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) are excellent targets for therapeutic interventions. Nevertheless, thus far, little progress has been made in developing miRNA-based drugs and techniques for clinical applications, especially for overexpressed miRNAs. In this study, we demonstrate that self-assembled DNA nanostructures bearing multiple DNA sequences that are complementary to a target miRNA can effectively capture the overexpressed oncogenic miRNA and subsequently inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Specifically, a DNA nanotube structure that carries functional DNA segments (single-stranded, duplex and hairpin forms) was designed and synthesized to capture two well-known overexpressed miRNAs, miR-21 and miR-155. It was found that all three DNA nanotubes significantl

SUBMITTER: Liu Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6180306 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature