title: The emerging role of RNA interference in the design of novel therapeutics in oncology.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as the tool of choice for studying gene function. Dubbed the "breakthrough of the year" in 2002 by the journal Science, RNAi is a naturally occurring host defense mechanism that mediates the sequence-specific degradation of target mRNA transcripts and their protein products. The specificity of RNAi makes it an ideal tool for targeted therapeutics against unique fusion oncogene sequences. RNAi may also be effective against viral-mediated oncogenesis and has the potential to enhance tumor sensitivities to existing chemotherapy. The current interest in the success of RNAi-based therapies will depend on the delivery systems that protect the silencing apparatus from endogenous nucleases, sustain tissue-specific expression of the small-interfering RNAs, and prevent the activation of a destructive nonspecific host immune response.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA. jerryccheng@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Jerry C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Kathleen M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015696:Gene Products, tat / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
chemical_list: D018435:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B; D015696:Gene Products, tat; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D054322:tat Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl