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© 2005 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
Blocking Cancer With RNA Interference Moves Toward the Clinic
| The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below. |
The discovery of RNA interference (RNAi), the endogenous regulatory system that employs small double-stranded RNA molecules to silence gene expression, has generated enthusiasm for using small interfering RNA–based molecules (siRNA) to treat a variety of diseases. It didn't take long for investigators to dream up several strategies for siRNA to target cancer. And recent studies offer tantalizing clues that RNAi is not only a potential therapeutic measure—it can also act as an intrinsic part of the oncogenic process.
Some of the enthusiasm surrounding RNAi is based on the assumption that since RNAi taps into a fundamental regulatory process, it should be well tolerated and generate few side effects.
"RNAi works by tapping into a natural process that has evolved to regulate gene expression," said Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Greg Hannon, Ph.D., a pioneer in RNAi.
Challenges for RNAi-based Drugs
Link to Cancer