Review Article

2019  |  Vol: 4(2)  |  Issue: 2(March-April) | https://doi.org/10.31024/apj.2019.4.2.2

A systematic review on si-RNA: Advances and drug development in cancer therapy

Vijaykant Tiwari, Ashish Garg*, Md. Washid Khan

Department of P.G. Studies and Reseach in Chemistry and Pharmacy, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, M.P. 482001, India

*Address for Corresponding author:

Ashish Garg

Department of P.G. Studies and Reseach in Chemistry and Pharmacy, Rani Durgavati University, Jabalpur, M.P. 482001, India.

Abstract

Small interfering RNAs (siRNA) technology has shown great promise as a new class of therapeutic interventions for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. It is a remarkable endogenous pathway that can regulate sequence-specific gene silencing. Translation of small interfering RNA (siRNA) based approaches into practical therapeutics is limited because of lack of an effective and cell-specific delivery system. RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutic approaches are under vibrant scrutinisation to seek cancer cure. siRNA suppress expression of the carcinogenic genes by targeting the mRNA expression. However, in vivo systemic siRNA therapy is hampered by the barriers such as poor cellular uptake, instability under physiological conditions, off-target effects and possible immunogenicity. To overcome these challenges, systemic siRNA therapy warrants the development of clinically suitable, safe, and effective drug delivery systems. Herein, we review the barriers, potential siRNA drug delivery systems, and application of siRNA in clinical trials for cancer therapy. Further research is required to harness the full potential of siRNA as a cancer therapeutic. This review presents a comprehensive update on the challenges of siRNA delivery and the current strategies used to develop nanoparticulate delivery systems.

Keywords: siRNA, cancer delivery systems, cancer therapy, RNAi, targeted delivery, gene delivery