Recent Advancements in Cancer RNA-interference Therapy with Nanotechnology Strategies

Cancer is a global challenge, and genetics play a major role in onsets and in designing the next generation of cancer therapies. One of the key approaches is the downregulation of genes through RNA interference (RNAi) which has been proposed as a promising tool for controlling cancer-causing genes by employing a complementary base-pairing mechanism. Crucial tools in RNAi; small interfering RNA (siRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) have been extensively utilized in cancer therapy. Despite their discovery nearly two decades ago, only a handful of RNAi-based products have recently gained approval from regulatory authorities like the FDA, principally due to inherent limitations. The efficacy of RNAi therapies is significantly hindered by barriers related to absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, leading to rapid elimination from the systemic circulation before reaching the cytosol of targeted cells. Nevertheless, RNAi therapeutics hold immense promise in various diseases, especially in various types of cancer. Overcoming these challenges demands the design of suitable drug delivery systems and the implementation of strategies aimed at enhancing pharmacokinetic parameters associated with RNAi therapies. Nanotechnology-based vehicles such as polymer-based nanoparticles, lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, and inorganic nanoparticles may serve as efficient carriers for targeting RNAi therapies to their desired sites. This review discusses the recent advances in nanotechnology strategies for RNAi delivery, with the overarching objective of facilitating effective targeting and gene silencing for the advancement of RNAi in cancer therapy.