Nanoparticle/siRNA-based Therapy Strategies in Glioma: Which nanoparticles, Which siRNAs?

Abstract

Nanomedicines allow for the delivery of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are otherwise barely suitable as therapeutics for inducing RNA interference (RNAi). In preclinical studies on siRNA-based glioma treatment in vivo, various groups of nanoparticle systems, routes of administration and target genes have been explored. Targeted delivery by functionalization of nanoparticles with a ligand for crossing the blood–brain barrier and/or for enhanced target cell transfection has been described as well. Focusing on nanoparticle developments in the last approximately 10 years, this review article gives a comprehensive overview of nanoparticle systems for siRNA delivery into glioma and of preclinical in vivo studies. Furthermore, it discusses various target genes and highlights promising strategies with regard to target gene selection and combination therapies.

Keywords:

• glioma
• nanoparticles
• preclinical mouse glioma models
• RNAi
• siRNA delivery
• target gene knockdown

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work has been supported, in part, by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) to A Aigner (AI 24/13–1) and D Kögel (KO 1898 9/1). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.