Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method
09:06

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

siRNA and miRNA for the treatment of cancer

R Jankovic1, S Radulovic, M Brankovic-Magic

  • 1Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia. jankovicr@ncrc.ac.rs

Journal of B.U.ON. : Official Journal of the Balkan Union of Oncology
|September 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

RNA interference (RNAi) uses small RNAs to regulate gene expression by targeting messenger RNAs. This gene regulation mechanism shows significant promise as a novel cancer therapy by downregulating aberrant genes.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural biological process involving small RNAs that bind to messenger RNAs, inhibiting gene expression.
  • The discovery of RNAi has fundamentally changed the understanding of gene regulation.
  • Cancer is characterized by genetic alterations, making RNAi a potential therapeutic avenue.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the therapeutic potential of RNA interference (RNAi) in cancer treatment.
  • To highlight the advancements in delivering small RNAs for enhanced cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

  • The study focuses on the mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) where small RNAs pair with complementary messenger RNAs.
  • It reviews the application of RNAi technology in the context of cancer gene regulation.

Main Results:

  • RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized gene regulation understanding.
  • RNAi is being actively investigated and utilized in clinical trials for cancer treatment.
  • Ongoing technical advancements are improving the efficacy of small RNA delivery for cancer therapy.

Conclusions:

  • RNA interference (RNAi) presents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancer by targeting and downregulating disease-causing genes.
  • The rapid progression of RNAi technology, including delivery methods, supports its clinical application in oncology.

More Related Videos

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis11:44

Analysis of Combinatorial miRNA Treatments to Regulate Cell Cycle and Angiogenesis

Published on: March 30, 2019

Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy09:40

Characterization of Functionally Associated miRNAs in Glioblastoma and their Engineering into Artificial Clusters for Gene Therapy

Published on: October 4, 2019

Related Concept Videos

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs02:39

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...