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Review
. 2017 Jan;14(1):65-73.
doi: 10.1080/17425247.2016.1205583. Epub 2016 Jul 6.

Nanoparticle-mediated co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agent and siRNA for combination cancer therapy

Bo Xiao  1   2 , Lijun Ma  1 , Didier Merlin  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Nanoparticle-mediated co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agent and siRNA for combination cancer therapy

Bo Xiao et al. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. Current cancer treatments in the clinic mainly include chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, with chemotherapy being the most common. Areas covered: Cancer treatments based on the single 'magic-bullet' concept are often associated with limited therapeutic efficacy, unwanted adverse effects, and drug resistance. The combination of multiple drugs is a promising strategy for effective cancer treatment due to the synergistic or additive effects. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has the ability to knock down the expression of carcinogenic genes or drug efflux transporter genes, paving the way for cancer treatment. Treatment with both a chemotherapeutic agent and siRNA based on nanoparticle (NP)-mediated co-delivery is a promising approach for combination cancer therapy. Expert opinion: The combination of chemotherapeutic agents and siRNAs for cancer treatment offers the potential to enhance therapeutic efficacy, decrease side effects, and overcome drug resistance. Co-delivery of chemical drug and siRNA in the same NP would be much more effective in cancer therapy than application of chemical agent or siRNA alone. With the development of material science, NPs have come to be the most widely used platform for co-delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs and siRNAs.

Keywords: Co-delivery; cancer; chemical drug; combination therapy; nanoparticle; siRNA.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interest

D Merlin is a recipient of a Career Scientist Award from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 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.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic illustration of co-delivery process of chemical drug and siRNA by NPs to cancer cell.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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