Promises and Challenges of MicroRNA-based Treatment of Multiple Myeloma

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) recently emerged with a key role in multiple myeloma (MM) pathophysiology and are considered important regulators of MM cell growth and survival. Since miRNAs can act either as oncogenes or tumour suppressors, the potential of targeting the miRNA network arises as a novel therapeutic approach for human cancer. Potential strategies based on miRNA therapeutics basically rely on miRNA inhibition or miRNA replacement approaches and take benefit respectively from the use of antagomirs or synthetic miRNAs as well as from lipid-based nanoparticles which allow an efficient miRNA-delivery. The availability of experimental in vivo platforms which recapitulate the growth of MM cells within the specific human bone marrow microenvironment in immunocompromised mice (SCID-hu and SCID-synth-hu) provides powerful systems for development of miRNA-based therapeutics in MM. Preliminary findings on the anti-MM activity of synthetic miRNAs in such experimental models offer a proof-of-principle that miRNA therapeutics is a promising opportunity for this still incurable disease representing the rationale for a new venue of investigation in this specific field.