Relations between approved platinum drugs and non-coding RNAs in mesothelioma

Our plain-English summary of Relations between approved platinum drugs and non-coding RNAs in mesothelioma, by B. Biersack (Non-coding RNA Research, 2018).

The study

• Author: B. Biersack
• Journal: Non-coding RNA Research
• Published: 2018;3(4):161-173
• Type of article: Review
• Cited by: 10 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

Malignant mesothelioma diseases feature an increasing risk due to their severe forms and their association with asbestos exposure. Platinum(II) complexes such as cisplatin and carboplatin are clinically approved for the therapy of mesothelioma often in combination with antimetabolites such as pemetrexed or gemcitabine. It was observed that pathogenic properties of mesothelioma cells and the response of mesothelioma tumors towards platinum-based drugs are strongly influenced by non-coding RNAs, in particular, by small microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). These non-coding RNAs controlled drug sensitivity and the development of tumor resistance towards platinum drugs. An overview of the interactions between platinum drugs and non-coding RNAs is given and the influence of non-coding RNAs on platinum drug efficacy in mesothelioma is discussed. Suitable non-coding RNA-modulating agents with potentially beneficial effects on cisplatin treatment of mesothelioma diseases are mentioned. The understanding of mesothelioma diseases concerning the interactions of non-coding RNAs and platinum drugs will optimize existing therapy schemes and pave the way to new treatment options in future.

In plain English

This article was a narrative review of published research on how non-coding RNAs (small microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs) relate to the platinum chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin in mesothelioma, mostly malignant pleural mesothelioma. It reported no new patients or experiments. Asbestos appeared only as background on the cause of mesothelioma. The review described earlier studies in which the microRNA miR-31 made pleural mesothelioma cells more resistant to cisplatin and carboplatin. In other studies, reducing a long non-coding RNA called PVT1 made pleural mesothelioma cells more sensitive to cisplatin, and higher levels of certain microRNAs were correlated with acute kidney injury in cisplatin-treated pleural mesothelioma patients. Many of the drug and RNA links it discussed came from studies of other cancers, such as lung cancer. The review also listed natural products and other drugs reported to change these RNAs, including the green tea compound EGCG, curcumin, resveratrol and HDAC inhibitors. The author concluded that platinum drugs altered the non-coding RNA profile of mesothelioma and that non-coding RNAs influenced platinum activity either positively or negatively. The author expected that better understanding of this would lead to improved platinum-based treatment.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Narrative review of published studies (single author); no original data
• Who was studied: Published laboratory and clinical studies on mesothelioma (mainly malignant pleural mesothelioma) cells, tumor samples and patients, often supplemented by studies of other cancers such as non-small cell lung cancer, ovarian and bladder cancer; no new study population
• Exposure: Not asbestos: the review concerned the platinum chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and carboplatin and their interactions with microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, plus candidate combination agents; asbestos was mentioned only as background on the cause of mesothelioma
• Main results:
  • The review reported a cited study in which expression of miR-31 in malignant pleural mesothelioma cells induced increased resistance to cisplatin, and also to carboplatin
  • The review reported a cited study in which knockdown of the long non-coding RNA PVT1 enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in malignant pleural mesothelioma cells
  • The review reported that acute kidney injury in cisplatin-treated malignant pleural mesothelioma patients was correlated with increased miR-21, miR-200c and miR-423 levels (cited study)
  • The review reported that in the sarcomatoid mesothelioma subset of a published dataset, upregulated HOTAIR and MALAT1 were associated with shorter survival
  • The review listed candidate drugs to combine with cisplatin, such as polyphenols, terpenoids, alkaloids and HDAC inhibitors, that cited studies reported to change mesothelioma-relevant non-coding RNAs. Most of these drugs were derived from or inspired by natural sources
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that approved platinum drugs modulated the non-coding RNA profile of mesothelioma and that non-coding RNAs influenced platinum activity positively or negatively. The author expected that better understanding would lead to improved platinum-based therapy regimens for mesothelioma.

Topics

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Malignant Mesothelioma, Asbestos Exposure, Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Pemetrexed (Alimta), Gemcitabine.

Related studies

• Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are dysregulated in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) — C.M. Wright, M.B. Kirschner, et al. (2013)
• Workplace protection factors of HSE approved negative pressure full-facepiece dust respirators during asbestos stripping: preliminary findings — S.N. Tannahill, R.J. Willey, et al. (1990)
• Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting TGF-beta1 mRNA suppress asbestos-induced expression of TGF-beta1 and CTGF in fibroblasts — T.C. Lai, D.A. Pociask, et al. (2009)
• Approved and emerging treatments of malignant pleural mesothelioma in elderly patients — G.L. Ceresoli, A. Rossi (2019)
• Low-dose exposure to asbestos and lung cancer: dose-response relations and interaction with smoking in a population-based case-referent study in Stockholm, Sweden — P. Gustavsson, F. Nyberg, et al. (2002)
• Relations between asbestos exposure and lung cancer SMRs in occupational cohort studies — F.D. Liddell, J.A. Hanley (1985)

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