Platelet microRNAs Inhibit Primary Tumor Growth via Broad Modulation of Tumor Cell mRNA Expression in Ectopic Pancreatic Cancer in Mice


Lawrence Goldfinger, Ph.D.
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, U.S.


On Monday, July 19, 2021, Larry Goldfinger of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia presented follow-up research on the inhibitory role for platelets in solid tumor growth mediated by tumor infiltration of platelet microvesicles (microparticles), which are enriched in platelet-derived microRNAs (miRNAs). The research sought to investigate the contributions of platelet miRNAs to the rate of growth and regulation of gene expression in primary ectopic tumors using mouse models. This was done by implanting pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells as a bolus into mice with megakaryocyte-/platelet-specific depletion of mature miRNAs and evaluating tumor growth and gene expression.

Goldfinger reported an ~50% increase in the rate of growth of ectopic primary tumors in Dicer1 platelet-specific deleted mice compared with controls, demonstrating a specific role for platelet miRNAs in the modulation of primary tumor growth. This in combination with other findings demonstrated that platelet-derived miRNAs modulate solid tumor growth in vivo by broad-spectrum restructuring of the tumor cell transcriptome.


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