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Title:
PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION OF A NOVEL ANTI-CANCER DRUG IN THERAPY
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/026189
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
This invention generally relates to a design and method for developing novel anti-tumor and/or anti-cancer drugs, vaccines and therapies, using microRNA and/or its shRNA homologues/mimics/derivatives. More specifically, the present invention relates to an use of a prokaryote-produced miRNA precursor (pro-miRNA) composition capable of being delivered into human cells and processed by the cells into mature miRNA effectors to elicit specific silencing effects on mir-302-targeted genes, subsequently leading to a beneficial result of tumor suppression and cancer therapy. The prokaryotic cells do not naturally express or process eukaryotic miRNA precursors (pre-miRNA); meanwhile, the present invention also teaches an inducible method for expressing pre-miRNAs, particularly mir-302 precursors by using the prokaryotic transcription system. Since mir-302 is a known tumor suppressor in human, this novel finding advances the design and method for developing new anti-cancer drugs, vaccines and/or therapies directed against multiple kinds of human tumors and cancers.

Inventors:
LIN SHI-LUNG (US)
WU DAVID TS
Application Number:
PCT/US2013/054530
Publication Date:
June 19, 2014
Filing Date:
August 12, 2013
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
LIN SHI-LUNG (US)
WU DAVID TS
International Classes:
C12N5/071; C12P19/34
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
MCROBBIE, Craig (Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP,P.O. Box 74, Falls Church VA, US)
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Claims:
70

AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 1 May 2014

1. (New) A composition for producing microRNA precursor (pre-miR A) capable of reprogramming the malignant properties of human cancers into a low-grade benign or normal-like state and hence useful for developing anti-cancer drug for therapy, comprising:

(a) at least a chemical inducer agent, containing a molecular structure of 3- morpholinopropane-1 -sulfonic acid (MOPS), ethanol, glycerin, or a mixture thereof; and

(b) at least a line of transformed prokaryotic cells that carry at least an expression vector capable of expressing said pre-miRNA through a eukaryotic promoter;

wherein (a) and (b) are mixed together under a condition to induce the eukaryotic promoter-driven transcription of said pre-miRNA.

2. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said chemical inducer agent is a transcription inducer capable of stimulating eukaryotic promoter-driven RNA transcription in prokaryotes.

3. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said prokaryotic cells are in a bacterial culturing medium; said chemical inducer agent is added into the bacterial culturing medium at a final volume to volume concentration of 0.05% to 0.2%.

4. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 3, wherein said bacterial culturing medium is Luria-Bertani (LB) broth.

5. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said prokaryotic cells are E. coli DHSalpha competent cells.

6. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said expression vector is a recombinant plasmid encoding a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.3.

7. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said expression vector is pLenti-EFlalpha-RGFP-miR302.

8. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said pre-miRNA contains at least a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.3.

9. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said pre-miRNA is a kind of prokaryote-produced microRNA precursor (pro-miRNA).

10. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 9, wherein said pro-miRNA contains at least a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.9, SEQ.ID.NO. i l, SEQ.ID.N0.13, SEQ.ID.NO.15, or SEQ.ID.NO.17.

1 1. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said pre-miRNA is useful for pharmaceutical or therapeutic applications.

12. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said eukaryotic promoter is a pol-2 or pol-2-like RNA promoter. 71

13. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 12, wherein said pol-2 RNA promoter is the promoter of EF1 alpha.

14. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 12, wherein said pol-2-like RNA promoter is CMV promoter.

15. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said condition is LB broth at 371JC with frequent agitation.

16. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein anti-cancer mechanisms of said anti-cancer drug include cancer reversion, in which the malignant properties of high-grade human cancers are reprogrammed into a low-grade benign or normal-like state in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo.

17. (New) The composition as defined in Claim 1, wherein said human cancers contain tumor or cancer cells.

18. (New) A method of producing microRNA precursor (pre-miRNA) capable of reprogramming the malignant properties of human cancers into a low-grade benign or normal-like state and hence useful for developing anti-cancer drug for therapy, comprising:

(a) providing at least a chemical inducer agent, containing a molecular structure of 3- morpholinopropane-1 -sulfonic acid (MOPS), ethanol, glycerin, or a mixture thereof; and

(b) providing at least a line of transformed prokaryotic cells that carry at least an expression vector capable of expressing said pre-miRNA through a eukaryotic promoter; and

(c) mixing (a) and (b) together under a condition to induce the eukaryotic promoter- driven transcription of said pre-miRNA.

19. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said chemical inducer agent is a transcription inducer capable of stimulating eukaryotic promoter-driven RNA transcription in prokaryotes.

20. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein the step of providing said prokaryotic cells further comprises providing said prokaryotic cells in a bacterial culturing medium; the step of mixing (a) and (b) further comprises adding said chemical inducer agent into the bacterial culturing medium at a final volume to volume concentration of 0.05% to 0.2%.

21. (New) The method as defined in Claim 20, wherein said bacterial culturing medium is Luria-Bertani (LB) broth.

22. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said prokaryotic cells are E. coli DH5alpha competent cells.

23. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said expression vector is a recombinant plasmid encoding a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.3. 72

24. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said expression vector is pLenti-EFlalpha-RGFP-miR302.

25. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said pre-miRNA contains at least a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.3.

26. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said pre-miRNA is a kind of prokaryote-produced microRNA precursor (pro-miRNA).

27. (New) The method as defined in Claim 26, wherein said pro-miRNA contains at least a sequence of SEQ.ID.NO.9, SEQ.ID.NO.i l, SEQ.ID.NO.13, SEQ.ID.N0.15, or SEQ.ID.NO.17.

28. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said pre-miRNA is useful for pharmaceutical or therapeutic applications.

29. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said eukaryotic promoter is a pol-2 or pol-2-like RNA promoter.

30. (New) The method as defined in Claim 27, wherein said pol-2 RNA promoter is the promoter of EF1 alpha.

31. (New) The method as defined in Claim 27, wherein said pol-2-like RNA promoter is CMV promoter.

32. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said condition is LB broth at 37°C with frequent agitation.

33. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein anti-cancer mechanisms of said anti-cancer drug include cancer reversion, in which the malignant properties of high-grade human cancers are reprogrammedinto a low-grade benign or normal-like state in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo.

34. (New) The method as defined in Claim 18, wherein said human

cancers contain tumor or cancer cells.