Cancer Therapy Development
Every year, millions of people are diagnosed with cancer which remains one of the leading causes of death globally. In spite of great advances in standard therapies like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, many cancers have developed resistance against these therapeutics. As such, there is a strong need for new solutions that work effectively against cancer. Protheragen aims to minimize the gap by offering advanced piRNA-based therapy development services to create novel therapies for cancer.
The Role of piRNAs in Cancer
Abnormal expression of piRNAs has been reported in multiple human cancers such as gastric, bladder, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers. These findings imply a potential role of the piRNA pathway in the development of cancer. piRNA-based therapeutic strategies represent a novel and promising approach for cancer therapies through the manipulation of oncogenic pathways or restoration of tumor suppressor functions.
Table 1 Relationship between piRNA dysregulation and cancer development. (Chalbatani, Ghanbar Mahmoodi, et al., 2019)
| piRNA | Expression | Cancer | Function |
| piR−36743 | Upregulated | Breast Cancer | Induced by cell cycle progression |
| piR−36026 | Upregulated | Breast Cancer | Induced by cell cycle progression |
| piRABC | Downregulated | Bladder Cancer | Increase the expression of TNFSF4 protein |
| PiR-823 | Downregulated | Gastric Cancer | Inhibit cancer cell growth |
| piR-L-163 | Downregulated | Lung Cancer | Bind directly to phosphorylated ERM protein ) p-ERM) |
| piR-Hep1 | Upregulated | Liver Cancer | Deep sequencing of cell lines, validated in matched tumor-normal tissues via PCR |
| piR−015551 | Downregulated | Colorectal Cancer | Associated with recurrence-free survival |
piRNA-Based Cancer Therapy Development
The application of cancer therapies leveraging piRNA technologies marks a significant development in oncology. Scientists are examining how piRNAs engage with oncogenic pathways to potentially exploit these interactions for new piRNA cancer therapies. Such characteristics of piRNA can be the basis for formulating a diverse array of therapeutic strategies.
Targeting and Silencing Oncogenes
One strategy is the design of synthetic piRNAs that are capable of targeting and silencing specific oncogenes or cancer-affiliated sequences. The goal is to take advantage of piRNAs' sequence-specified silencing properties and negatively regulate important molecular processes that cause the development of tumors to restrict the growth and metastasis of cancer cells.
Restoring Tumor-Suppressive piRNAs
Synthetic piRNA mimics are engineered to replicate the sequence and function of tumor-suppressive piRNAs. These mimics are designed for incorporation into cancer cells in order to restore the regulatory action of the lost or downregulated piRNAs and aid in tumor suppression.
Our Services
Aiming to change the face of cancer therapy, Protheragen fuses complementary innovation with precision oncology research in order to develop piRNA-based cancer therapies. We aspire to silence specific oncogenes or restore downregulated or lost tumor-suppressive piRNAs by creating piRNA inhibitors and mimics. With this, we hope to provide advanced and targeted therapeutic strategies which combat cancers.
piRNA Inhibitor Development
Our scientists utilize gene editing technologies proficiently to design customized piRNAs that silence PIWI genes or inhibit the functions of oncogenes that facilitate tumor growth. This therapy is effective for cancers with piRNA overexpression and exhibits good targeting and specificity.
piRNA Mimic Development
The piRNA mimic development service encompasses the design of synthetic piRNAs that can be used to regulate gene expression and are capable of inhibiting cancer cell growth. This method is particularly useful for cancers characterized by the loss or downregulation of natural piRNAs.
Disease Areas
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Liver cancer
- Bladder cancer
- More
At Protheragen, we are committed to advancing piRNA biology by providing cutting-edge research services. Our scientists focus on identifying specific piRNA biomarkers and targets to provide breakthrough solutions for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics. Contact us today to discuss your project and learn how we can support your research goals.
Reference
- Chalbatani, Ghanbar Mahmoodi, et al. "Biological function and molecular mechanism of piRNA in cancer." Practical laboratory medicine 13 (2019): e00113.