title: Chemically modified siRNA: tools and applications.
abstract: Chemical modification provides solutions to many of the challenges facing siRNA therapeutics. This review examines the various siRNA modifications available, including every aspect of the RNA structure and siRNA duplex architecture. The applications of chemically modified siRNA are then examined, with a focus on specificity (elimination of immune effects and hybridization-dependent off-target effects) and delivery. We also discuss improvement of nuclease stability and potency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC H3A 2K6, Canada. jonathan.watts@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Jonathan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: Glen F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Deleavey
authors.forename: Masad J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Damha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009711:Nucleotides; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering