miR-143 Overexpression Reduces Growth of Colon Cancer in Mice
Author Information
Author(s): Borralho Pedro M., Simões André E. S., Gomes Sofia E., Lima Raquel T., Carvalho Tânia, Ferreira Duarte M. S., Vasconcelos Maria H., Castro Rui E., Rodrigues Cecília M. P.
Primary Institution: Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences - iMed.UL, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
Hypothesis
What is the effect of miR-143 overexpression on the growth of human colon carcinoma cells in mice?
Conclusion
Overexpression of miR-143 leads to reduced tumor growth in colon cancer by increasing apoptosis and decreasing proliferation.
Supporting Evidence
- Over-143 xenografts showed slower tumor growth compared to Empty xenografts from 23 until 40 days.
- Final tumor volumes were significantly different: 928±338 mm3 for Over-143 and 2512±387 mm3 for Empty.
- Increased apoptosis was observed in Over-143 xenografts, indicated by higher caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage.
- Reduced levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 were found in Over-143 xenografts.
- The incidence of apoptotic tumor cells was higher in Over-143 compared to Empty xenografts.
Takeaway
When scientists added more of a tiny molecule called miR-143 to colon cancer cells in mice, the tumors grew slower because more cancer cells died and fewer new ones were made.
Methodology
HCT116 cells with stable miR-143 overexpression were injected into nude mice, and tumor growth was evaluated over 40 days.
Participant Demographics
Nude mice (immunodeficient mouse strain: N: NIH(s) II-nu/nu)
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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