Table 3.
Non-viral delivery system of microRNA (miRNA) agents in brain tumors treatment studies in vitro and in vivo.
| Tumor type | Carrier | miRNA | Agent | Characteristics of carriers | Gene target | Effect of miRNA | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB | SNA-Liposome-ApoE | miR-92b | Mimic | Inert and nontoxic. Accumulation in tumor tissue and can notably escape lysosome/late endosomes | – | Reduces tumor cell viability | [75] |
| AS | Lipofectamine2000 | miR-323-5p | Mimic | Accumulation in tumor tissue | IGF-1R | Enhances the tumor cell apoptosis | [76] |
| GB | CTX-coupled SNALPs | miR-21 | Ani-miRNA | The loss of host immunogenicity. BBB crossing and accumulation in tumor tissue | RhoB | Enhances the tumor cell apoptosis and decreases tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis | [77] |
| GB | Cationic liposomes | miR34a and miR21 | Mimic and ani-miRNA | Accumulation in tumor tissue | EGFR | Reduces tumor cell viability, proliferation, and invasion | [78] |
| GB | PAMAM | miR-7 | Mimic | Higher transfection efficiency and longer duration of action compared with liposome delivery | EGFR | Suppresses tumor cell proliferation and tumor growth | [79] |
| GB | Liposome | miR-20a | Mimic | Accumulation in tumor tissue | – | Enhances the tumor cell proliferation and the percentage of S-phase cells. | [80] |
| GB | FA/PAMAM | miR-7 | Mimic | Makes a longer time for the drug action and accumulation in tumor tissue | PCNA, MMP-2, MMP-9, EGFR and AKT-2 | Reduces tumor cell viability, proliferation, and invasion | [81] |
| GB | CPPs, R8 | miR-21 | Ani-miRNA | Inert and nontoxic. Accumulation in tumor tissue and can notably escape lysosome/late endosomes | PDCD4 and SERPINB5 | Tumor cell migration inhibition | [82] |
| GB | Tachyplesin | miR-210 | Ani-miRNA | Electrostatically bind to miRNA to form a stable complex and protect the nucleic acid from degradation. BBB crossing and accumulation in tumor tissue | NeuroD2 and HIF3A | Inhibits proliferation, migration and spheroid formation ability and induces apoptosis and sensitivity to temozolomide | [83] |
| GB | NFL-TBS.40-63 peptide | miR-21, miR-221 and miR-100 | Ani-miRNA | Can enter specifically into glioblastoma cells by endocytosis (mitochondria specific) | PTEN, FGFR3 and NAIP | Reduces tumor cell viability, induces microtubule destruction, and inhibits cell proliferation | [84] |
| GB | PLGA nanoparticles | miR21 and miR-10b | Ani-miRNA | PLGA nanoparticles as efficient carriers of antisense miRNAs offer both localized high concentrations of intracellular antisense miRNAs and gradual and sustained release of encapsulated molecules over a long period | PTEN, PDCD4, and HOXD10 | Antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects, induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase | [85] |
| GB | PU-PEI | miR-145 | Mimic | Accumulation in tumor tissue | Sox2 and Oct4 | Enhances chemoradiosensitivity and reduction of CSC-like properties | [86] |
Abbreviations: AS, Astrocytoma; GB, Glioblastoma; SNA-Liposome-ApoE, Creating spherical nucleic acids-liposome-apolipoprotein E; PU-PEI, Polyurethane-short branch polyethylenimine; TMZ, Temozolomide; PAMAM, Poly(amido amine); FA, Folic acid; CPPs, Cell penetrating peptides; PLGA, Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid); CSC, Cancer stem cells; IGF-1R, Insulin like growth factor1 receptor; RhoB, Ras homolog gene family, member B; EGFR, Epidermal growth factor receptor; PCNA, Proliferating cell nuclear antigen; MMP-2, Matrix metalloproteinases 2; MMP-9, Matrix metalloproteinases 9; AKT-2, V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 2; PDCD4, Programmed cell death 4; SERPINB5, Serpin family B member 5; NeuroD2, Neuronal differentiation 2; HIF3A, Hypoxia-inducible factor 3 alpha; PTEN, Phosphatase and tensin homolog; FGFR3, Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3; NAIP, Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein; PDCD4, Programmed cell death 4; HOXD10, Homeobox D10; Sox2, SRY-Box transcription factor 2; Oct4, Octamer-binding transcription factor 4.