title: Tumor-targeting multifunctional nanoparticles for siRNA delivery: recent advances in cancer therapy.
abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a naturally occurring regulatory process that controls posttranscriptional gene expression. Small interfering RNA (siRNA), a common form of RNAi-based therapeutics, offers new opportunities for cancer therapy via silencing specific genes, which are associated to cancer progress. However, clinical applications of RNAi-based therapy are still limited due to the easy degradation of siRNA during body circulation and the difficulty in the delivery of siRNA to desired tissues and cells. Thus, there have been many efforts to develop efficient siRNA delivery systems, which protect siRNA from serum nucleases and deliver siRNA to the intracellular region of target cells. Here, the recent advances in siRNA nanocarriers, which possess tumor-targeting ability are reviewed; various nanoparticle systems and their antitumor effects are summarized. The development of multifunctional nanocarriers for theranostics or combinatorial therapy is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, 136-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sook Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Kwangmeyung
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kuiwon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sun Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ick Chan
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D011108:Polymers; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D057127:Single-Chain Antibodies
keywords: cancer therapy; multifunctional nanoparticles; siRNA delivery; tumor targeting