Available for licensing and commercial development are patent rights that cover the uses of a p53 specific microRNA (miRNA).  It has been reported that the tumor suppressive mRNA miR-34a (a downstream target of p53) is downregulated in HPV-infected primary keratinocytes.  miR-34a arrests the cell cycle at G2 phase and promotes apoptosis.  Therapeutic restoration of normal expression levels of miR-34a and/or simultaneous stabilization of p53 (inhibited by HPV E6) induces miR-34a accumulation in G0/G1 phase and can arrest tumor growth.  Neoplasia and cancer cell progression has also been associated with p18Ink4c overexpression which can be regulated with the introduction of a therapeutic amount of miR-34a.  Tumor reduction/suppression by down regulating p18Ink4c is also a therapeutic benefit provided by this invention.

Applications:

•    Cervical cancer

•    Human papillomavirus

•    Therapeutics

Publications:

1. WO Lui et al. Patterns of known and novel small RNAs in human cervical cancer. Cancer Res. 2007 Jul 1;67(13):6031-6043.  [PubMed abs]
2. I Martinez et al. Human papillomavirus type 16 reduces the expression of microRNA-218 in cervical carcinoma cells. Oncogene 2007 Nov 12; Advance online publication, doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1210919.  [PubMed abs]

•    U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/983,368 filed 29 Oct 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-029-2008/0-US-01)

•    U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/041,842 filed 02 Apr 2008 (HHS Reference No. E-029-2008/1-US-01)

Inventors:

Zhi-Ming Zheng and Xiaohong Wang (NCI)

Licensees Sought:

Available for licensing.

Collaborative Research Opportunity:

The National Cancer Institute HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize HPV-induced aberrant expression of microRNAs for cervical cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.  Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121 or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.