Gene silencing through RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo: Strategies based on the direct application of siRNAs

RNA interference (RNAi) offers great potential not only for in vitro target validation, but also as a novel therapeutic strategy based on the highly specific and efficient silencing of a target gene, e.g. in tumor therapy. Since it relies on small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which are the mediators of RNAi-induced specific mRNA degradation, a major issue is the delivery of therapeutically active siRNAs into the target tissue/target cells in vivo. For safety reasons, strategies based on (viral) vector delivery may be of only limited clinical use. The more desirable approach is to directly apply catalytically active siRNAs. This review highlights the recent knowledge on the guidelines for the selection of siRNAs which show high activity in the absence of non-specific siRNA effects. It then focuses on approaches to directly use siRNA molecules in vivo and gives a comprehensive overview of in vivo studies based on the direct application of siRNAs to induce RNAi. One promising approach is the in vivo siRNA delivery through complexation of chemically unmodified siRNAs with polyethylenimine (PEI). The anti-tumoral effects of PEI/siRNA-based targeting of tumor-relevant genes in vivo are described.