2. Introduction
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Gene silencing by RNAi was first observed by Craig Mello in C. elegans
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are non-coding RNAs (20-25 nucleotides)
siRNA is a posttranscriptional mode of gene regulation
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a promising tool in breast cancer therapy
4. Potential Targets
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HER2 expression
Estrogen receptor applied in therapeutic target
Cofactor protein and NFAT3
Regulate the ER gene transcriptional activity
Silencing NFAT3 using siRNA
Reduces ER positive breast cancer cell growth
NFAT3 potential siRNA therapeutic targets
Adapted from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845562/
6. Conclusion
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siRNA thus holds incredibly promising potential as a form of gene therapy for
not only breast cancer but possibly other cancers and diseases as well
Challenge posed by siRNA is the safe and efficient delivery of siRNA to the
desired organ and subsequently into target cells
It is postulated that RNAi-based therapy will be used as a new method of
cancer therapy in the near future