The Tuberculosis Drug Streptomycin as a Potential Cancer Therapeutic: Inhibition of miR-21 Function by Directly Targeting Its Precursor

摘要

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in regulating gene expression in many cellular contexts. Deregulation of miRNAs has been implicated in a number of disease conditions and thus, small molecules that can modulate mature miRNA levels in cells can have immense therapeutic potential. Aminoglycosides, mostly used as antibiotics, are known specifically to bind to certain RNA secondary structures. Herein, we report that one such aminoglycoside, streptomycin, can down-regulate the levels of mature miR-21, a miRNA with roles in a variety of cancers. We suggest that streptomycin down-regulates miR-21 by binding to pre-miRNA (its precursor) and blocking the function of the Dicer enzyme, an essential step in miRNA maturation.