Abstract B222: Dicer substrate siRNAs to MYC, B-catenin, and other target genes effectively induce in vivo target gene knockdown and tumor inhibition.

Abstract

Abstract Although there are now multiple successful examples of targeted therapeutics in cancer, many key protein targets have remained largely ‘undruggable’, including transcription factors such as B-catenin (CTNNB1) and MYC. B-catenin mediates Wnt signaling, which is overactive in many cancers including hepatocarcinoma (HCC). RNAi offers a way to reach such undruggable targets by inhibiting their expression at the mRNA level. Dicer substrate siRNAs (“DsiRNAs”) can be particularly effective for gene silencing. DsiRNAs are longer than conventional siRNAs, and therefore are substrates for processing by Dicer, after which the product RNA duplexes are incorporated into RISC, leading to target mRNA knockdown. We have used DsiRNAs to target B-catenin, MYC, and other key genes in HCC and other cancers. Through large-scale DsiRNA screening, we have identified a series of high potency DsiRNAs with picomolar to sub-picomolar IC50 values for mRNA knockdown. Lead DsiRNAs fully tolerated extensive 2’-OMe modification, retaining high potency, and lacked detectable immunostimulatory activity. To test the effect of target gene knockdown on tumor growth in vivo, we used a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery system. LNP/DsiRNA particles effectively delivered to tumors in mouse tumor models, leading to rapid knockdown of target gene mRNA and protein. Knockdown of B-catenin, MYC, and other target genes strongly inhibited tumor growth. B-catenin knockdown also strongly reduced expression of the B-catenin-regulated genes Axin2 and MYC, a potential mechanism for tumor inhibition. In summary, we have developed high potency DsiRNAs to cancer target genes, and effectively delivered these DsiRNAs to tumors in vivo, resulting in inhibition of target gene expression and inhibition of tumor growth. DsiRNA therapeutics show promise as novel agents for reaching traditionally undruggable target genes. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):B222. Citation Format: Hank Dudek, Kathleen Wortham, Rokhand Arvan, Anee Shah, Bo Ying, Wendy Cyr, Hailin Yang, Wei Zhou, Utsav Saxena, Yi Zhou, Rohan Diwanji, Ben Holmes, Ruchir Farkiwala, Aalok Shah, Bob Brown. Dicer substrate siRNAs to MYC, B-catenin, and other target genes effectively induce in vivo target gene knockdown and tumor inhibition. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B222.