Quantum rods as nanocarriers of gene therapy.
Both antisense oligonucleotides (ASODN) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) have enormous potential to selectively silence specific cancer-related genes and could therefore be developed to be important therapeutic anti-cancer drugs. The use of nanotechnology may allow for significant advancement of the therapeutic potential of ASODN and siRNA, due to improved pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution and tissue specific targeted therapy. In this mini-review, we have discussed the advantages of using a nanocarrier such as a multimodal quantum rod (QR) complexed with siRNA for gene delivery. Comparisons are made between ASODN and siRNA therapeutic efficacies in the context of cancer and the enormous application potential of nanotechnology in oncotherapy is discussed. We have shown that a QR-interleukin-8 (IL-8) siRNA nanoplex can effectively silence IL-8 gene expression in the PC-3 prostate cancer cells with no significant toxicity. Thus, nanocarriers such as QRs can help translate the potent effects of ASODN/siRNA into a clinically viable anti-cancer therapy. Drug delivery for cancer therapy, with the aid of nanotechnology is one of the major translational aspects of nanomedicine, and efficient delivery of chemotherapy drugs and gene therapy drugs or their co-delivery continue to be a major focus of nanomedicine research.
Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York and Kaleida Health, Buffalo, New York 14203, USA. ra5@buffalo.edu
Ravikumar
R
Aalinkeel
Bindukumar
B
Nair
Jessica L
JL
Reynolds
Donald E
DE
Sykes
Wing-Cheung
WC
Law
Supriya D
SD
Mahajan
Paras N
PN
Prasad
Stanley A
SA
Schwartz
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D043942:Nanotubes; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering