Background
Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer type and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. However, the existing treatment, as well as prognosis strategies for CRC patients, need to be improved in order to increase the chance of survival. Targeted therapies of CRC, as opposed to ordinary therapies, target key biological features and pathways of cancerous cells hence minimizing the subsequent damage to normal cells. MicroRNAs have been reported to play a crucial role in inhibiting and/or suppressing major pathways in various cancer types by targeting transcripts of key genes in such pathways.
Methods
The purpose of this study was to analyze in silico the differentially expressed genes from five microarray datasets of patients with CRC. Furthermore, miRNAs were investigated to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting a key gene—frizzled receptor 3 (FZD3) in the Wnt signaling pathway.
Results
The Wnt pathway receptor FZD3 is upregulated in CRC along with other pathway genes, which play a critical role in tumorigenesis. In contrast, miR-98-5p inhibits the activity of FZD3 by binding directly to the 3′UTR of its mRNA, therefore exerting a suppressor effect on colorectal tumors.
Conclusion
The study reveals miR-98-5p as a novel target of FZD3 and an inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway hence being a potential candidate for developing targeted therapies against CRC.
Background
The World Health Organization (WHO) report of 2020 indicated that Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is ranked the third most common cancer type and the second cause of cancer-related deaths in the world. However, the existing treatment, as well as prognosis strategies, need to be improved to increase the survival of CRC patients. Targeted therapies of CRC as opposed to ordinary therapies; target key biological features and pathways of cancerous cells hence minimizing the subsequent damage to normal cells. MicroRNAs have been reported to play a crucial role in inhibiting and/or suppressing major pathways in various cancer types by targeting transcripts of key genes in such pathways.
Methods
This study aimed at in silico inhibiting cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting a key gene – Frizzled receptor 3 (FZD3) in a major pathway of CRC called Wnt signaling; using microRNAs. The in silico analysis revealed that miR-98-5p is a direct target of FZD3, using 5 microarray datasets containing tumorous and control samples.
Results
Further analysis indicated that miR-98-5p inhibits FZD3 through binding directly to the 3’UTR of its mRNA hence exerting a suppressor role of colorectal tumors through the Wnt pathway. However, these results need to be validated in the future through basic research experiments using CRC cells in vivo and in vitro.
Conclusion
The study reveals miR-98-5p as a novel target of FZD3 and an inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway hence being a potential candidate for developing targeted therapies against CRC.
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