In vivo imaging of RNA interference

Abstract

RNA interference (RNAi), an effective technique for regulating or silencing specific genes, can be applied to treat various diseases. Multiple clinical trials using RNAi are ongoing, and molecular imaging can serve as a powerful tool in RNAi-based therapies. This brief review will highlight the current progress on in vivo imaging of RNAi delivery and silencing effects. Incorporation of suitable molecular imaging techniques into future RNAi-based clinical trials will provide more pieces of the puzzle, thus facilitating the transformation of RNAi into a powerful therapeutic modality in the clinic.

Figure 1

Molecular imaging techniques can be used to monitor both gene delivery efficiency and the silencing effect of RNAi. In some cases the carriers can also be the image tags. Upon further optimization and rigorous validation, many of these techniques may be translated into the clinic in the future.