Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics
RNA-based approaches are among the most promising strategies aimed at developing safer and more effective therapeutics. RNA therapeutics include small non-coding miRNAs, small interfering RNA, RNA aptamers and more recently, small activating RNAs. However, major barriers exist to the use of RNAs as...
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MDPI AG
2011-10-01
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Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/4/11/1434/ |
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doaj-8a8efd7285474f2eb06612d120b413b12020-11-25T03:37:16ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472011-10-014111434144910.3390/ph4111434Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as TherapeuticsVittorio de FranciscisLaura CerchiaCarla Lucia EspositoSimona CamoraniSilvia CatuognoRNA-based approaches are among the most promising strategies aimed at developing safer and more effective therapeutics. RNA therapeutics include small non-coding miRNAs, small interfering RNA, RNA aptamers and more recently, small activating RNAs. However, major barriers exist to the use of RNAs as therapeutics such as resistance to nucleases present in biological fluids, poor chemical stability, need of specific cell targeted delivery and easy entry into the cell. Such issues have been addressed by several recent reports that show the possibility of introducing chemical modifications in small RNAs to stabilize the molecular conformation and increase by several fold their integrity, while still preserving the functional activity. Further, several aptamers have been developed as excellent candidates for the specific recognition of cell surface targets. In the last few years, by taking advantage of recent advances in the small RNA field, molecular bioconjugates have been designed that permit specific targeting and may act as cargoes for cell internalization of small RNAs acting on gene expression that will be discussed in this review.http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/4/11/1434/aptamerintracellular deliverymicroRNAsmall interfering RNA |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Vittorio de Franciscis Laura Cerchia Carla Lucia Esposito Simona Camorani Silvia Catuogno |
spellingShingle |
Vittorio de Franciscis Laura Cerchia Carla Lucia Esposito Simona Camorani Silvia Catuogno Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics Pharmaceuticals aptamer intracellular delivery microRNA small interfering RNA |
author_facet |
Vittorio de Franciscis Laura Cerchia Carla Lucia Esposito Simona Camorani Silvia Catuogno |
author_sort |
Vittorio de Franciscis |
title |
Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics |
title_short |
Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics |
title_full |
Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics |
title_fullStr |
Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Coupling Aptamers to Short Interfering RNAs as Therapeutics |
title_sort |
coupling aptamers to short interfering rnas as therapeutics |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Pharmaceuticals |
issn |
1424-8247 |
publishDate |
2011-10-01 |
description |
RNA-based approaches are among the most promising strategies aimed at developing safer and more effective therapeutics. RNA therapeutics include small non-coding miRNAs, small interfering RNA, RNA aptamers and more recently, small activating RNAs. However, major barriers exist to the use of RNAs as therapeutics such as resistance to nucleases present in biological fluids, poor chemical stability, need of specific cell targeted delivery and easy entry into the cell. Such issues have been addressed by several recent reports that show the possibility of introducing chemical modifications in small RNAs to stabilize the molecular conformation and increase by several fold their integrity, while still preserving the functional activity. Further, several aptamers have been developed as excellent candidates for the specific recognition of cell surface targets. In the last few years, by taking advantage of recent advances in the small RNA field, molecular bioconjugates have been designed that permit specific targeting and may act as cargoes for cell internalization of small RNAs acting on gene expression that will be discussed in this review. |
topic |
aptamer intracellular delivery microRNA small interfering RNA |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/4/11/1434/ |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT vittoriodefranciscis couplingaptamerstoshortinterferingrnasastherapeutics AT lauracerchia couplingaptamerstoshortinterferingrnasastherapeutics AT carlaluciaesposito couplingaptamerstoshortinterferingrnasastherapeutics AT simonacamorani couplingaptamerstoshortinterferingrnasastherapeutics AT silviacatuogno couplingaptamerstoshortinterferingrnasastherapeutics |
_version_ |
1724546119731511296 |