Ravi Singh

Nanomedicine and Gene Therapy to Treat Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common & aggressive brain tumor having dismal prognosis. Patients diagnosed with the disease have a median survival of about 15 months only. Current mode of therapy is limited to surgical removal of the tumor and routine chemo/radiotherapy. However, emergence of chemo/radio resistance, and tumor recurrence is common. There is a pressing need for devising novel, multimodal therapies. miRNA based therapies hold promise for cancer treatment owing to their multi-pathway targeting abilities. Our study focuses on two oncogenic miRNAs: namely, miR-196a and miR-210, both associated with GBM progression and aggressive phenotype. Our work (at IITD) on these two miRNAs show that both of these are hypoxia induced and function as oncogenic miRNAs by promoting cellular proliferation and migration and inhibit apoptosis and are also associated with poor patient survival. Although miRNA therapy sounds attractive, the major bottleneck is their delivery as in naked form they are susceptible to degradation by nucleases, clearance by the reticuloendothelial system etc. Dr. Popat's laboratory at UQ has recently prepared ultra-small silica nanoparticles which has potential to cross BBB and accumulate specifically in tumour microenvironment and deliver genetic molecules. By combining these two innovative technologies (micro RNA and nanoparticles) we will provide proof-of-feasibility and efficacy of new therapeutic strategies aimed at reversing the immune evasive capability of Glioblastoma. The work will involve synthesis and characterization of the nanoparticles, their ability to deliver anti-miRNAs to the cells will be checked along with its efficiency to inhibit levels of said miRNAs. Upon successful inhibition of the above miRNAs with co-delivery of anti-210 and anti-196a by the NPs to GBM cells, the effect on the different cancer hallmarks will be checked. After completing the cell-based studies, we would test the efficacy of this therapy in an orthotopic mouse model of GBM.