The potential role of miRNAs in multiple myeloma therapy

ABSTRACT

Introduction: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that are crucial players as post-transcriptional regulators of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). miRNA deregulation has been associated to the pathogenesis of several human malignancies, since they might potentially regulate relevant pathways involved in cancer onset and progression. Therefore, targeting the miRNA network could represent a promising therapeutic strategy for human cancer.

Area covered: This review summarizes recent findings on miRNAs as therapeutics or therapeutic targets against multiple myeloma (MM) and its microenvironment, including the challenges to overcome in the next future for the clinical application of this innovative therapeutic approach.

Expert commentary: The rising body of advanced preclinical evidence on the biological activity of miRNAs in the pathobiology of MM strongly supports the therapeutic potential of treatment for this still incurable disease. However, translation of this therapeutic strategy for MM patients requires the development of optimized delivery systems and efficient integration of ‘omics’ data with clinical evidence, to precisely identify MM patients who may benefit from a novel miRNA-based therapy.

KEYWORDS:

• miRNA
• non-coding RNA
• multiple myeloma
• experimental therapeutics
• miRNA therapeutics

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC) with ‘Special Program for Molecular Clinical Oncology-5 per mille’ 2010–15 and its Extension Program No. 9980 2016-18” and by ‘Innovative Immunotherapeutic Treatments of Human Cancer’ Multi Unit Regional No. 16695 (co-financed by the AIRC and the CARICAL Foundation), 2015/18 (PI: PT).