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NOVEL VEHICLES FOR THE TRANSFECTION OF MIRNAS
US2019111002
The invention relates to a nanoparticle comprising: (i) between 60 wt.- percent and 99 wt.- percent sorbitan ester, relative to the total weight of the nanoparticle; (ii) a positively charged substance; and (iii) a miRNA. The invention also relates to the methods for producing same and to the uses thereof, particularly for therapeutic uses, such as cancer treatment.
The research team has developed a new nanosystem based on sorbitan esters (span) that is able to interact directly with the cells of the hepatic sinusoid and can direct its content to these cells. This cell type is responsible for creating new blood vessels when a metastatic process occurs in the liver. The endothelial cells create new vessels around the metastatic tumor and contribute to its progression. On the other hand, a microRNA has been identified that regulates this angiogenic process, miR-20 a. The said miRNA is present in the healthy state and when invasion of a metastatic cell occurs in the liver, miR-20 a disappears and enables the formation of new vessels. The team has been able to insert miR-20 into hepatic endothelial cells that were producing angiogenesis in mice with liver metastases and have reduced tumors by 80% (Clavijo et al.). The team has demonstrated the high specificity (Fernández-Piñeiro et al.) Of the designed formulation as well as the low toxicity (Fernández-Piñeiro et al B).