Mi-RNA CAF Treatment of Ovarian Cancer

For the treatment regarding the three miRNAs in ovarian cancer associated fibroblasts, I tried to elucidate the downstream targets by which these epigenetic changes of mi-RNAs in CAFs induce epithelial to mesenchymal transition of cancer cells. By reading the literature, I found and described a few pathways. Despite these known pathways, the mechanisms by which mi-RNAs lead to epithelial to mesenchymal transition are likely far more complicated. Mi-RNAs are short, approximately 20 bases in length. Therefore, they are interesting because they often have binding specificity for thousands of genes, meaning they can downregulate the expression for all of these genes. Therefore, there are likely many more pathways that are unknown. Treatment involving mi-RNAs usually evolves from an observational study about miRNA dysregulation, and the reversal of the cancerous phenotype having anti-cancer effects. These studies are sometimes substantial to warrant treatments based on their findings, without figuring out exactly why they work. While it may be startling, proving anti-tumor properties is sometimes enough to garner FDA approval, despite not knowing a mechanism of action. For example, Procarbazine, an FDA approved chemotherapy drug commonly used to treat Hodgkin’s lymphoma, has a mechanism of action that is not fully understood.