microRNA-200a-3p increases 5-fluorouracil resistance by regulating dual specificity phosphatase 6 expression

A small RNA molecule that increases resistance to a key anti-cancer drug may be a viable target for tackling drug resistance. Multi-drug resistance is becoming a major barrier to successful chemotherapy, but the precise mechanisms involved are unclear. Eun Kyung Lee at the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul and co-workers investigated whether small non-coding molecules called microRNAs play a role enhancing resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a leading anti-cancer drug. The team added 572 different microRNAs to human liver cancer cells and found that one in particular, miR-200a-3p, increased cancer cell survival following treatment with 5-FU. Further study showed that miR-200a-3p achieved this by reducing the levels of a protein known to play a key role in regulating cancer development. The discovery could lead to novel therapies to combat drug resistance.