J. Cancer Mol. 4: 67-77, 2008

[Review Article]

RNA Interference – Regulations and Application in Oncology

Dragomira Nikolova and Draga Toncheva

Department of Medical Genetics, Medical Faculty, Medical University - Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria

Abstract:

RNA interference (RNAi) is a naturally occurring method of inhibition of gene expression in organisms.  Chemically synthesized or vector-based short interference RNAs (siRNAs) are used to cause a specific and selective gene knockdown in cell lines or animal models.  Different approaches to introduce siRNAs in human body with a higher selectivity and efficacy have been tried.  In any way, RNAi is accepted as a revolutionary tool to suppress oncogenes and other highly expressed genes in human malignancies, which have been previously found by means of microarray strategies.  In this review, we summarize the advantages and disadvantages of RNAi technologies, discuss the currently invented siRNA libraries and give some examples of their application in clinical oncology.

(Keywords: RNA interference; siRNA; shRNA; microRNA)

Received 4/12/08; Revised 5/13/08; Accepted 5/19/08.

¹Correspondence: Dr. Dragomira Nikolova, Department of Medical Genetics, Medical University - Sofia, No. 2,

Zdrave Street, Sofia 1431, Bulgaria. E-mail: nikolova_dragomira@yahoo.com

²Abbreviations:  siRNA, short interference (or small interfering) RNA; dsRNA, double-stranded RNA; shRNA, short hairpin RNA; RNAi, RNA interference; RISC, RNA-induced silencing complex; miRNA, microRNA; UTR, untranslated region; AAV, adenovirus-associated virus.

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