S. Vishnu Sharma
IIT M Researchers have identified a specific microRNA (miRNAs) called ‘miR-155’ that is over-expressed in tongue cancer.
This finding is important in that molecular strategies can potentially be devised to manipulate miR-155 expression to develop therapeutics for tongue cancer.
IIT M Researchers 2020
A team of IIT M Researchers lead by Prof Devarajan Karunagaran, Head, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras and his research scholar Mr. Shabir Zargar collaborated with researchers from Cancer Institute and Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital in Chennai and Indian Institute of Science at Bengaluru in this Research.
miRNAs affect cancer growth through inhibiting or enhancing the functions of certain proteins. For example, it has been shown that a type of protein called ‘programmed cell death 4’ helps in stopping cancer cells from growing and spreading.
Inhibition of this protein has been known to cause spread of oral, lung, breast, liver, brain and colon cancers.
The work of IIT M Researchers and their team has been published in the reputed peer-reviewed journal Molecular and Cellular biology.
It has been co-authored by Mr. Shabir Zargar, Mr. Vivek Tomar, Mr. Vidyarani Shyamsundar, Mr. Ramshankar Vijayalakshmi, Mr. Kumaravel Somasundaram, and Prof. Karunagaran. The work by IIT M Researchers and team is said to have lot of significance.
Speaking about the work of IIT M Researchers Professor Karunagaran said MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non‐coding RNAs containing 20–24 nucleotides that participate in virtually all biological pathways in animals.
They have been found to play important roles in many cancers, in carcinogenesis (start of cancer), malignant transformation and metastasis – the development of secondary cancer. The miRNAs associated with cancer are called ‘Oncomirs,’ he said.
Professor Karunagaran elaborating more on work by IIT M Researchers and team said many of the oncomirs affect cancer by suppressing the performance of tumour suppressing agents that can prevent growth and spread of cancer cells, although some oncomirs are also involved in preventing tumour growth itself.
It is therefore important to identify the types of miRNAs that are associated with both suppression and proliferation of cancer cells, he said.
Work by IIT M Researchers and team has gone beyond showing the connection between miR-155 and pdcd4. They have also shown that knocking out miR-155 causes death of cancer cells, arrests the cell cycle and regresses tumour size in animal models and reduces cell viability and colony formation in bench top assays.
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Speaking about work done by IIT M Researchers and team Mr. Shabir Zargar said while it has been long suspected that miR-155 downregulates Pdcd4, there have, hitherto, been no evidence for such interaction.
The IIT M Researchers and team has now shown beyond doubt that miR-155 is overexpressed in tongue cancer cells and tongue tumour tissues.
This ‘overactivity’ of miR-155 hinders the action of pdcd4, which in turn causes spread and growth of cancer of the tongue.
Professor Karunagaran said the study IIT Madras Researchers and team has shown that the restoration of Pdcd4 levels through molecular manipulation of miR-155 can lead to potential therapeutic developments for cancers, especially of tongue cancer.
miRNA manipulation is being combined with conventional cancer treatment methods such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy and the study reported by IIT Madras Researchers and team can enable such emerging therapeutics for cancer.
About – IIT Madras
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of India as an institute of national importance.
The activities of the Institute in various fields of Technology and Science are carried out in 16 academic departments and several advanced interdisciplinary Research Academic Centres.
The Institute offers undergraduate and post – graduate programmes leading to the B.Tech., M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Tech., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees in a variety of specialisations.
IITM is a residential institute with more than 580 faculty and 9,500 students. Students from 18 countries are enrolled here.
IITM fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM Incubation Cell.
IITM has been ranked No.1 in the Overall Institutions category in India Rankings 2019 released by National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Human Resources Development, Government of India.
The Institute has also been ranked No.1 in the Engineering Institutions category in the same Rankings for four consecutive years – 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
It was also adjudged as the ‘Top innovative Institution’ in the country in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2019 launched by Innovation Cell of MHRD.