| abstract |
A method and composition for of treating cancer, and in particular, for arresting the progression of a solid or primary cancer to a more invasive, metastatic state, are disclosed. The composition includes a substantially uncharged antisense compound (i) having a nuclease-resistant backbone, (ii) capable of uptake by target cancer cells in the subject, (iii) containing between 10-40 nucleotide bases, and (iv) having a base sequence effective to hybridize to a region of processed or preprocessed human SNAIL RNA transcript. The compound, when administered to the subject, is effective to form within target cancer cells in the subject, a base-paired heteroduplex structure composed of human SNAIL RNA transcript and the oligonucleotide compound, where this structure is characterized by a Tm of dissociation of at least 45 °C. The compound is administered in an amount sufficient to inhibit SNAIL expression in target cancer cells, thereby to inhibit the progression of the patient’s cancer to a more invasive, metastatic state. Also disclosed are methods for preventing the transdifferentiation of peritoneal mesothelial cells and failure of ultrafiltration in a patient undergoing peritoneal dialysis, by including the compound in the patient dialysis fluid. |