miR-615-5p and miR-155-5p in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Immunotherapy:

Stemming the rising tide of global ill health from liver disorders, hepatologists worldwide have never been challenged as such. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) poses a heavy burden globally, pivoting on the geographic region, in Egypt; HCC ranks the second most prevalent cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer related mortality. Yet, compelling the need to understand the pathogenesis of HCC. Despite being considered a main target in efforts directed towards drug development for HCC, the driving motto in the pathogenesis of HCC, IGF/IGF-IR pathway, has recently been cast in the homeostatic regulation of immunity. Provokingly, in my master thesis, I focused on immunotherapy utilizing NK cells to provide new insights in eradicating HCC and reconcile the challenge. Accordingly, miR-615-5p and miR-155 were chosen for such trial, paving the road for correction of NK functional impairment ex-vivo through IGF-axis manipulation and future perfusion of the cytotoxic NKs to HCC patients . Part of this work was presented in the Liver Meeting (AASLD), San Francisco 2015 and in the EASL international liver Congress Vienna 2015 and ranked from the top 10% e-posters in the convention.