Electrotransfer of RNAi-based oligonucleotides for oncology

For more than a decade, there has been tremendous growth in our understanding of RNA interference (RNAi). The potent ability that small oligonucleotides have in gene silencing makes them desirable as novel cancer therapeutics, but many biological barriers exist for their efficient delivery into target cells or tissues. Electropulsation (EP) appears to be a promising method for cancer-associated gene therapy. EP is the direct application of electric pulses to cells or tissues that transiently permeabilize the plasma membranes, allowing efficient in vitro and in vivo cytoplasmic delivery of exogenous molecules. The present review reports on the type of therapeutic RNAi-based oligonucleotides that can be electrotransferred, the mechanism of their electrotransfer and the technical settings for pre-clinical purposes.