title: Recent progress in microRNA delivery for cancer therapy by non-viral synthetic vectors.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Because of significant changes in their expression in cancer, miRNAs are believed to be key factors in cancer genetics and to have potential as anticancer drugs. However, the delivery of miRNAs is limited by many barriers, such as low cellular uptake, immunogenicity, renal clearance, degradation by nucleases, elimination by phagocytic immune cells, poor endosomal release, and untoward side effects. Nonviral delivery systems have been developed to overcome these obstacles. In this review, we provide insights into the development of non-viral synthetic miRNA vectors and the promise of miRNA-based anticancer therapies, including therapeutic applications of miRNAs, challenges of vector design to overcome the delivery obstacles, and the development of miRNA delivery systems for cancer therapy. Additionally, we highlight some representative examples that give a glimpse into the current trends into the design and application of efficient synthetic systems for miRNA delivery. Overall, a better understanding of the rational design of miRNA delivery systems will promote their translation into effective clinical treatments.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Hai-ke Rd, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Huiyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Hai-ke Rd, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Hai-ke Rd, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Huige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Hai-ke Rd, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yingzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Yangzhou University College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 88 South University Ave, Yangzhou 225009, China.
authors.forename: Peizhi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Hai-ke Rd, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: yzhuang@simm.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Yongzhuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Cancer therapy; Drug delivery; MicroRNA; Non-viral vector; Synthetic vector