Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics 2024, Vol.12, No.4, 182-193 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/cge 182 Research Perspective Open Access The Potential of RNA Interference in Cervical Cancer Therapy Huixian Li, Jianhui Li Institute of Life Science, Jiyang College of Zhejiang A&F University, Zhuji, 311800, China Corresponding author: jianhui.li@jicat.org Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, 2024, Vol.12, No.4 doi: 10.5376/cge.2024.12.0020 Received: 08 Jun., 2024 Accepted: 15 Jul., 2024 Published: 28 Jul., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Li and Li, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li H.X., and Li J.H., 2024, The potential of RNA interference in cervical cancer therapy, Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics, 12(4): 182-193 (doi: 10.5376/cge.2024.12.0020) Abstract RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural process that induces gene silencing through small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA). In recent years, RNAi has shown great potential in cancer therapy, particularly in targeting HPV-induced cervical cancer. By silencing the oncogenes E6 and E7, RNAi can inhibit tumor growth and enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. This study reviews the application of RNAi in cervical cancer treatment, including its biogenesis, gene silencing mechanisms, and performance in both in vitro and in vivo studies. It also discusses the advantages and challenges of RNAi compared to traditional therapies and analyzes the synergistic effects of RNAi with chemotherapeutic drugs. The research demonstrates that RNAi exhibits significant anticancer effects in both in vitro and animal models, especially in studies targeting HPV genes. Additionally, the combination of RNAi with chemotherapeutic drugs like cisplatin significantly increases cancer cell sensitivity to treatment. By deepening the understanding of RNAi mechanisms, this study provides theoretical support for developing RNAi-based therapies for cervical cancer. RNAi not only specifically silences cancer-related genes but also reduces tumor resistance to chemotherapy, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes. While RNAi holds great promise for cervical cancer treatment, challenges such as delivery efficiency and off-target effects remain to be addressed. Future research should focus on optimizing RNAi delivery systems and identifying new targets to advance RNAi's clinical application. Keywords RNA interference; Cervical cancer; Gene silencing; HPV genes; Targeted therapy 1 Introduction Cervical cancer remains a significant global health challenge, with nearly 600 000 new cases and over 300 000 deaths annually, making it one of the most common cancers among women worldwide (DiPaolo and Alvarez-Salas, 2004; Ravegnini et al., 2022). The primary etiological factor for cervical cancer is the persistent infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs), particularly HPV-16 and HPV-18, which are responsible for the majority of cases (Milner, 2003; DiPaolo and Alvarez-Salas, 2004). Despite advances in prophylactic vaccination and screening programs, cervical cancer continues to pose a substantial burden, especially in developing countries where access to these preventive measures is limited (Staley et al., 2021; Parashar et al., 2022). Current treatment modalities, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, are effective in early-stage disease but face significant challenges in advanced stages, where predicting therapeutic response and managing metastasis remain problematic (Parashar et al., 2022; Ravegnini et al., 2022). RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological process where RNA molecules inhibit gene expression or translation by neutralizing targeted mRNA molecules. Discovered in the late 1990s, RNAi has revolutionized genetic research and therapeutic development due to its ability to selectively silence specific genes. The mechanism involves small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) or microRNAs (miRNAs) that guide the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) to degrade complementary mRNA, thereby preventing protein synthesis (Milner, 2003). Over the past two decades, RNAi has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for various diseases, including viral infections and cancers (Milner, 2003; DiPaolo and Alvarez-Salas, 2004). In the context of cervical cancer, RNAi holds significant promise for targeting HPV-driven oncogenes, such as E6 and E7, which are crucial for the initiation and maintenance of malignancy. By silencing these oncogenes, RNAi
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