Development of synthetic microRNA-214 showing enhanced cytotoxicity and RNase resistance for treatment of canine hemangiosarcoma

MicroRNA-214 (miR-214), a pivotal tumour-suppressive miRNA, is downregulated in canine hemangiosarcoma (HSA) cells. Although these tumour-suppressive miRNAs are potential therapeutic agents, their clinical efficacy may be limited because of their vulnerability to RNase-rich microenvironments and low in vivo transfection rates. We developed synthetic miR-214s with enhanced cytotoxicity, RNase resistance and quantity of miR-214 in/on cells. These synthetic miR-214s were synthesized by various chemical modifications (such as 4 '-aminoethyl-2 '-fluoro, 2 '-fluoro, 2 '-O-methyl, phosphorothioate and oligospermine modifications) of the wild-type mature miR-214 sequences. Transfection of HSA cells with synthetic miR-214 (miR-214 5AE) demonstrated significant growth suppressive effect and induced the strongest apoptotic response. Synthetic miR-214s (miR-214 5AE, miR-214 10AE and miR-214 OS) were much more stable than mature miR-214s in foetal bovine serum. Similar to mature miR-214, 5AE and OS suppressed the expression level of COP1 in HSA cells. The quantity of synthetic miR-214s in/on cells was higher than that of mature miR-214. In conclusion, we developed a clinically applicable, synthetic miR-214 5AE that regulates the COP1 protein expression similar to that mediated by mature miR-214. Additionally, miR-214 5AE confers better cytotoxicity, nuclease resistance and transfection rate than mature miR-214. Thus, miR-214 5AE could potentially be a novel miRNA-based chemotherapeutic agent that could improve the prognosis of HSA. Its in vivo effects on canine HSA need to be examined in future.