The study “miRNAs from Zebrafish Embryo Extracts Inhibit Breast Cancer Invasiveness and Migration by Modulating miR-218-5p/PI3K Pathway”, published in the journal “International Journal of Molecular Sciences”, conducted by the team of Professor Mariano Bizzarri, and with Dr. Noemi Monti as the first author, has investigated the potential of extracts from zebrafish embryos (a small fish used in biomedical research) to reduce the aggressiveness of breast cancer cells.
Researchers at Sapienza University of Rome have observed that these extracts, rich in microRNAs – small molecules regulating gene expression – can activate miR-218-5p in tumor cells, capable of inhibiting the PI3K protein.
The effect results in a reorganization of the cytoskeleton and the reconstitution of the E-cadherin/β-catenin complexes, fundamental for cell-cell interaction and for maintaining tissue architecture. Furthermore, the extracts block the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process that makes tumor cells more mobile and invasive.
Breast cancer cells treated with these extracts showed a drastic reduction in migration, suggesting that molecular signals from embryonic development could be exploited to counteract tumor progression.
Why is this study important?
The significance of this research lies in the discovery of a potential innovative approach to counteract the aggressiveness of breast cancer. Using embryonic extracts from zebrafish, rich in specific regulatory molecules, the ability to inhibit key mechanisms that make tumor cells more mobile and invasive has been observed. This opens new perspectives for the development of therapies that exploit fundamental biological signals to block tumor progression.
Research against Breast Cancer
To read the scientific article, conducted by the “Space Biomedicine Laboratory” of Sapienza University of Rome, and download it for free CLICK HERE.