Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids

Osaka University researchers developed molecules, called splice-switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) that bind to the RNA molecules encoding a protein known as REST. In neuroendocrine tumors, these RNAs are incorrectly spliced together, which supports the cancerous phenotype. When injected into tumors in laboratory mice, SSOs could help restore normal REST function, leading to reduced tumor size. This novel approach is a promising new tool for treating neuroendocrine tumors that do not respond to conventional therapies.

Researchers led by Osaka University performed RNA-sequencing analysis of whole blood samples from patients with severe COVID-19 and healthy controls to evaluate differences in messenger RNA and microRNA expression. The interferon signaling pathway was found to be activated in patients with severe COVID-19, and measurement of interferon proteins in the plasma revealed that interferon-β and interferon-λ1 play an important role in the severity of COVID-19.