title: Antitumor activity induced by regulatory RNA: possible role of RNA-dependent protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappaB.
abstract: Regulatory RNAs are noncoding RNAs that can regulate gene expression. Our previous results showed that regulatory RNAs can induce the production of interleukin-1, interleukin-2, interleukin-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma, and Fas ligand (FasL). These cytokines and FasL are involved in host defense mechanisms against tumors. B16-F10 melanoma cells are highly metastatic to the lungs and we showed that lymphocytes treated with the regulatory B16-RNA reduce significantly the number of metastatic nodules. We also found that B16-RNA activates RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) and the active B16-RNA fraction is polyadenylated with a sedimentation coefficient of 18S. Our findings suggest that the antitumor activity of B16-RNA is mediated by PKR through activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. Thus, B16-RNA may act as a regulatory RNA and may regulate gene expression at transcriptional level. This study provides the rationale for the use of B16-RNA as an immunomodulator in melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, SP 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Angelica Ehara
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodrigues Souza
authors.forename: Joana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Murad
authors.forename: Fernando Luiz
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: De Lucca
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism*; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase