title: DNAzyme technology and cancer therapy: cleave and let die.
abstract: Novel molecules are constantly being discovered and developed to find better means of managing debilitating and fatal diseases, which include cancer in its multiple forms. Among these molecules, and as a direct consequence of a better understanding of the molecular basis of diseases, are those falling within the class of gene therapeutics. Among these players, deoxyribozymes (DNAzymes) have come a long way from being just another analytic tool available to molecular biologists. Recent studies have shown the potential DNAzymes to serve as drugs both in cell-based assays and preclinical models of cancer. It is anticipated that with the development of smart delivery systems for DNAzymes, better pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics will be possible, expediting DNAzyme march toward the clinic. Also, the ability of DNAzymes to yield to such phenomena as light-induced activation may be exploited for targeted therapy. This review documents the rise of DNAzymes in the fight against cancer and serves as a forecast for this promising biotechnology in this context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, Vic 3065, Australia. crispin.dass@svhm.org.au
authors.forename: Crispin R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Dass
authors.forename: Peter F M
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Choong
authors.forename: Levon M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Khachigian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001483:Base Sequence; D021881:DNA, Catalytic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D004355:Drug Stability; D018390:Gene Targeting; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D021881:DNA, Catalytic