| Summary: | RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful method used for gene expression
regulation. The increasing knowledge about the molecular mechanism of this
phenomenon creates new avenues for the application of the RNAi technology in
the treatment of various human diseases. However, delivery of RNA interference
mediators, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), to target cells is a major
hurdle. Effective and safe pharmacological use of siRNAs requires carriers
that can deliver siRNA to its target site and the development of methods for
protection of these fragile molecules from in vivo degradation. This review
summarizes various strategies for siRNA delivery, including chemical
modification and non-viral approaches, such as the polymer-based,
peptide-based, lipid-based techniques, and inorganic nanosystems. The
advantages, disadvantages, and prospects for the therapeutic application of
these methods are also examined in this paper.
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