Breast Cancer Therapeutic Using BC200 RNA Silencing Methods

Background:

Breast cancer incidence rates have been slowly but steadily increasing over the last two decades. Despite improvements in early detection methods and therapeutic interventions, breast cancer remains a leading cause of cancer death among women. Risk factors include age, sex, family history, hormonal factors, reproductive history, and lifestyle factors such as sedentary behavior, physical inactivity and dietary habits that have been linked to the development of obesity. Another factor involves genetic mutations, such as genes encoding BRCA1 and BRCA2. Expression of BC200 RNA is dysregulated in mammary malignancies, as the RNA is expressed at high levels in all types of invasive breast carcinomas. This broad expression profile in invasive breast cancer makes therapies directed at BC200 RNA highly promising for a large number of patients.

Technology Overview:

This technology is a therapeutic intervention based on the silencing of BC200 RNA by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Three short hairpin RNA (shRNA) sequences have been selected to knock down BC200 RNA, and these sequences have been subcloned into a doxycycline-inducible system package. These constructs are then used to engineer a MCF7 cell line (malignant breast adenocarcinoma cells with high BC200 RNA expression levels) to obtain inducible BC200 knock-down cell lines. Our siRNA/shRNA sequences had a strong effect in reducing BC200 RNA expression. Our in vitro and in culture data show that silencing of BC200 RNA with siRNA (or shRNA) in MCF-7 cells causes a reversion to a non-malignant phenotype.

Advantages:

•    Highly promising basis for developing breast cancer treatments via a novel method.
•    Addresses one of the major health risks facing women today.
•    Significant market potential.

Applications:

The primary application for this technology is developing treatments for breast cancer.

Intellectual Property Summary:

Provisional patent applications filed: 
App No: 63/567,512 “BREAST CANCER THERAPEUTIC USING BC200 RNA SILENCING METHODS” Filed: 11/20/2024
App No: 63/722,911 "Regulatory BC200 RNA in breast cancer" Filed:3/20/2024

Licensing Status:

This technology is available for licensing.

Licensing Potential:

This technology would be of interest to facilities involved in research for developing pharmaceuticals that treat breast cancer. These include:
•    Pharmaceutical manufacturers.
•    Universities.
•    Medical research laboratories.