Illustration of miR-384 unlocking RAB23, symbolizing a potential kidney cancer treatment.

Can This Tiny Molecule Stop Kidney Cancer?

Kai Mendoza in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research spotlights miR-384 as a potential tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma, offering hope for improved treatments."

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common type of kidney cancer, poses a significant threat to adults. While medical advancements have improved treatments, the survival rate for advanced RCC remains low, emphasizing the urgent need for more effective therapies. Researchers are constantly seeking new biomarkers and treatment targets to improve patient outcomes.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. They play crucial roles in various biological processes, including cell development, growth, and death. When miRNA function is disrupted, it can contribute to cancer development. Recent research has focused on understanding how specific miRNAs can be harnessed to fight cancer.

A new study has uncovered the potential of miR-384, a specific miRNA, as a tumor suppressor in RCC. This article delves into the research findings, exploring how miR-384 targets a protein called RAB23, influencing cancer cell behavior and potentially leading to new treatment strategies.

miR-384: A Tiny Molecule with Big Cancer-Fighting Potential?

Illustration of miR-384 unlocking RAB23, symbolizing a potential kidney cancer treatment.

The study revealed that miR-384 levels are significantly lower in RCC tissue samples compared to healthy kidney tissue. This downregulation suggests that miR-384 might play a role in preventing cancer development. Researchers also found that RAB23, a protein targeted by miR-384, was present in higher amounts in RCC tissues. This inverse relationship indicates that miR-384 may normally suppress RAB23 expression.

To understand the connection between miR-384 and RAB23, researchers conducted further experiments:

Direct Targeting: They confirmed that RAB23 is a direct target of miR-384 in RCC cells. This means miR-384 binds to RAB23 mRNA, preventing the protein from being produced.
Cell Behavior: Overexpressing miR-384 in RCC cells led to a decrease in cell proliferation, slowed cell cycle progression, and reduced cell migration. These are all key characteristics of cancer cells.
RAB23's Role: Conversely, when RAB23 was artificially increased in RCC cells, it promoted cell growth, accelerated the cell cycle, and enhanced cell migration. This supports the idea that RAB23 contributes to cancer development.

These findings suggest that miR-384 acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting and inhibiting RAB23. By reducing RAB23 levels, miR-384 can effectively slow down cancer cell growth and prevent its spread.

Hope for the Future: miR-384 as a Potential Therapy

This research highlights the potential of miR-384 as a therapeutic target for RCC. By understanding how miR-384 regulates RAB23, scientists can develop new strategies to combat kidney cancer. One approach could involve delivering miR-384 directly to cancer cells to suppress RAB23 expression and inhibit tumor growth.

While these findings are promising, further research is needed to fully understand the role of miR-384 in RCC development and to determine the best way to utilize it for therapeutic purposes. Clinical trials will be necessary to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of miR-384-based treatments.

The discovery of miR-384's tumor-suppressing activity provides a new avenue for exploring novel treatments for kidney cancer, offering hope for improved outcomes for patients with this challenging disease. As research progresses, miR-384 may become a key component of future cancer therapies.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1002/jcb.27180, Alternate LINK

Title: Mir‐384 Suppressed Renal Cell Carcinoma Cell Proliferation And Migration Through Targeting Rab23

Subject: Cell Biology

Journal: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry

Publisher: Wiley

Authors: Lihua Yan, Kunxiang Wu, Feng Du, Xianzhe Yin, Hongmei Guan

Published: 2018-11-02

Everything You Need To Know

What is miR-384, and how does it work in the context of kidney cancer?

miR-384 is a small, non-coding RNA molecule, specifically a microRNA (miRNA). This molecule appears to act as a tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). It functions by targeting a protein called RAB23, which is involved in promoting cancer cell growth and spread. When miR-384 levels are low, RAB23 expression increases, leading to enhanced cancer cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle progression, and increased cell migration. Increasing miR-384 can inhibit RAB23 and slow down cancer cell growth.

What is the role of RAB23 in renal cell carcinoma, and how is it connected to miR-384?

RAB23 is a protein that miR-384 targets directly. In RCC, RAB23 is often found in higher amounts. When RAB23 levels are artificially increased in renal cell carcinoma cells, it promotes cancer cell growth, speeds up the cell cycle, and enhances cell migration. Therefore, RAB23 contributes significantly to the development and progression of kidney cancer. Inhibiting RAB23 through miR-384 is a potential therapeutic strategy.

How did researchers discover that miR-384 might be a potential tumor suppressor in renal cell carcinoma?

Researchers discovered that miR-384 levels are significantly lower in renal cell carcinoma tissue samples compared to healthy kidney tissue. They also observed that RAB23, the protein targeted by miR-384, was present in higher amounts in RCC tissues. Further experiments confirmed that miR-384 directly targets RAB23, preventing its production. Artificially increasing miR-384 in RCC cells led to a decrease in cell proliferation, slowed cell cycle progression, and reduced cell migration. Conversely, increasing RAB23 promoted cancer-like behavior. These findings indicate that miR-384 acts as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting RAB23.

What are the potential therapeutic implications of discovering miR-384's role in regulating RAB23?

The discovery of miR-384's role opens avenues for developing new therapeutic strategies for renal cell carcinoma. One approach could involve delivering miR-384 directly to cancer cells to suppress RAB23 expression and inhibit tumor growth. This could potentially slow down cancer cell growth and prevent its spread. Future research will likely focus on developing effective delivery methods and assessing the safety and efficacy of miR-384-based therapies in clinical trials. Other miRNAs could be explored, and more proteins like RAB23 could be investigated for similar dynamics.

What are microRNAs (miRNAs), and why is miR-384's behavior significant?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), like miR-384, are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play crucial roles in regulating gene expression. They influence various biological processes, including cell development, growth, and death. When miRNA function is disrupted, it can contribute to the development of diseases, including cancer. In the context of renal cell carcinoma, miR-384 acts as a tumor suppressor by targeting specific proteins, such as RAB23, and influencing cancer cell behavior. Understanding the roles of different miRNAs in cancer development can lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. It is likely other miRNAs will be discovered to perform similar functions.