Tech Spotlight: MicroRNAs Targeting Six1 as Potential Anti-Cancer Therapies

A research team from the University of Colorado led by Heide Ford has developed a miRNA screen and treatment for cancers that express an embryonic development gene - Six1 - not normally expressed in adulthood. They have shown that their miRNAs down-regulate Six1, which is present in 50% of primary breast tumors and over 90% of metastatic breast lesions, as well as Wilms' Tumor, ovarian tumors, hepatocellular carcinomas and rhabdomyosarcormas. In breast, ovarian and hepatocellular carcinomas expression of the target gene correlates with worsened survival. Six1 is not expressed in adult cells, making this a truly cancer-specific therapy.

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