FPU2025 - Uso de EXO- y CELLmotifs para frenar el crecimiento tumoral

miRNAs are short RNAs that play a key role in the regulation of gene expression. siRNAs are similar to miRNAs but more specific for a unique target. miRNAs are linked to cancer development as they promote/prevent tumor growth. Indeed, miRNAs are altered in all types of cancer. Given their important function and versatility, their use as therapeutic agents has gained recent attention. However, miRNAs/siRNAs cannot be easily delivered to target cells, being extracellular vesicles (EVs) one of the most promising methods for delivery. Our lab recently identified sequence motifs in miRNAs promoting their EV loading (EXOmotifs) or their cellular retention (CELLmotifs). Incorporation of EXOmotifs makes them more enriched in EVs, which could be used to inhibit targets in distant cells. In contrast, CELLmotifs lead to enhanced stability, prolonging their effects over time. Here, we will address whether EXO- and CELL-motifs could represent novel strategies to achieve enhanced delivery and stronger suppressive action of miRNAs/siRNAs to several tumor types by using multiple complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches. This study could uncover these motifs as new tools to prevent tumor growth and set up the basis for future clinical studies. The student will work with human tumor cells and several cancer mouse models, learn multiple techniques (isolation/application of EVs, viral vector, immunoblotting, qPCR, imaging, etc) and join our journal club and data presentation meetings.