2026-02-27
Yogita Chhichholiya, Sandeep Singh, Rajesh Vashistha, Manjit Kaur Rana, Anjana Munshi
BackgroundGenetic variations in tumor suppressor miRNAs and the 3′UTR of their target genes influence tumor biology and breast cancer (BC) risk.ObjectiveThis study investigated genetic variations in tumor suppressor miRNAs (hsa-let-7c, hsa-miR-34a, hsa-miR-145a) and their target genes (KRAS, IGFBP6, IGF1R), and their functional significance in BC patients.MethodsThe miRNA encoding regions and 3′UTRs of the selected target genes were sequenced in 208 BC patients. Functional analyses were performed using luciferase assay, RT-PCR, IHC, and Western blotting. RNAfold, TNM plot, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and ROC Plotter were used for structural predictions, survival, and therapy response analysis.ResultsTwo variants, rs712 and rs9266, were found in the 3′UTR of KRAS. Luciferase assay confirmed that rs9266 disrupts the binding of hsa-let-7c and hsa-miR-181c, leading to increased KRAS expression. KRAS expression was highest in heterozygous, followed by homozygous mutant, and lowest in wild-type genotypes. Higher hsa-let-7c and hsa-miR-181c expression correlated with better survival. ROC analysis identified KRAS as a potential predictive biomarker for chemotherapy response.ConclusionVariants rs712 and rs9266 in the KRAS 3′UTR impair miRNA binding, enhancing KRAS expression and tumorigenesis, while elevated hsa-let-7c and hsa-miR-181c levels predict favourable survival outcomes in BC patients.
DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2026.17054632025-12-16
Aditya Bharti, Joann Mudge
CRISPR-Cas9 is a gene editing tool used extensively in biological research that is now making its way into clinical therapies. With the first CRISPR therapy obtaining approval by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late 2023, we look at clinical trials of emerging therapies involving CRISPR-Cas9, currently the most prevalent CRISPR-based tool in these trials. A CRISPR-based therapy is currently approved for treatment of both sickle-cell anemia and transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia but clinical trials for CRISPR-based therapeutics include a much broader range of targets. CRISPR-Cas9 is being explored to treat cancer, infectious disease, and more. This review highlights CRISPR-Cas9 clinical trials registered at clinicaltrials.gov as of 12/31/2024.
DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2025.17242912025-12-04
Shilpi Sharma, Naveen Kumar Saroha, Abhilasha Sehrawat, Guiliang Tang, Deepali Singh, Sachin Teotia
Plant genome editing has undergone a transformative shift with the advent of advanced molecular tools, offering unprecedented levels of precision, flexibility and efficiency in modifying genetic material. While classical site-directed nucleases such as ZFNs, TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9 have revolutionized genome engineering by enabling targeted mutagenesis and gene knockouts, the landscape is now rapidly evolving with the emergence of novel systems that go beyond the conventional double strand break (DSB)-mediated approaches. Advanced and recent tools include LEAPER, SATI, RESTORE, RESCUE, ARCUT, SPARDA, helicase-based approaches like HACE and Type IV-A CRISPR system, and transposon-based techniques like TATSI and piggyBac. These tools unlock previously inaccessible avenues of genome and transcriptome modulation. Some of these technologies allow DSB-free editing of DNA, precise base substitutions and RNA editing without altering the genomic DNA, a significant advancement for regulatory approval and for species with complex genomes or limited regeneration capacity. While LEAPER, RESCUE and RESTORE are the new advents in the RNA editing tool, SATI allows DSB-free approach for DNA editing, ARCUT offers less off-target and cleaner DNA repairs and Type IV-A CRISPR system induces gene silencing rather than editing. The transposon-based approaches include TATSI, piggyBac and TnpB, and helicases are used in HACE and Type IV-A CRISPR system. The prokaryotic Argonaute protein is used in SPARDA tool as an endonuclease to edit DNA. The transient and reversible nature of RNA editing tools such as RESTORE and LEAPER introduces a new layer of epigenetics-like control in plant systems, which could be harnessed for tissue-specific and environmentally-responsive trait expression. Simultaneously, innovations like ARCUT and SPARDA utilize chemically-guided editing, minimizing reliance on biological nucleases and reducing off-target risks. Their modularity and programmability are enabling gene function studies, synthetic pathway designs and targeted trait stacking. These advances represent a novel synthesis of genome engineering and systems biology, positioning plant genome editing not just as a tool of modification but as a platform for designing adaptive and intelligent crops, tailored to future environmental and nutritional challenges. Although, many of these recent tools remain to be applied on plant systems, they are proven to be effective elsewhere and hold a great potential to be effective in creating climate-resilient crops.
DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2025.1588089