<i>Her-2/Neu</i> and <i>Myc</i> Gene Silencing in Breast Cancer: Therapeutic Potential and Advancement in Nonviral Nanocarrier Systems
Jananee Padayachee, Aliscia Daniels, Adhika Balgobind, Mario Ariatti, Moganavelli Singh
Abstract
Globally, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women, with approximately 1.4 million new cases diagnosed annually. Associated genetic perturbations are emerging in the face of intense scientific enquiry, facilitating its classification, prognostication and treatment. RNAi, utilizing siRNA, is a powerful treatment strategy to silence disease-causing genes. However, therapeutic siRNA instability and poor cellular uptake have limited its clinical application, necessitating the use of nanocarriers. In this review, we highlight the RNAi mechanism, HER-2/neu and MYC as breast cancer gene targets, and nonviral nanocarriers as potentially safe and efficient delivery systems.