RNA interference: ready to silence cancer?
RNA interference (RNAi) is considered the most promising functional genomics tool recently developed. As in other medical fields, this biotechnology might revolutionize the approach to dissecting the biology of cancer, ultimately speeding up the discovery pace of novel targets suitable for molecularly tailored antitumor therapies. In addition, preclinical results suggest that RNAi itself might be used as a therapeutic weapon. With the aim of illustrating not only the potentials but also the current limitations of RNAi as a tool in the fight against cancer, here we summarize the physiology of RNAi, discuss the main technical issues of RNAi-based gene silencing, and review some of the most interesting preclinical results obtained so far with its implementation in the field of oncology.
Mocellin
Simone
S
Department of Oncological and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 2, 35128 Padua, Italy. mocellins@hotmail.com
Costa
Rodolfo
R
Nitti
Donato
D
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D035683:MicroRNAs; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering