siRNA and cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapeutic approaches have been gaining attention in the field of cancer treatment because of their possible ability to eradicate cancer cells as well as metastases by recruiting the host immune system. On the other hand, RNA-based therapeutics with the ability to silence expression of specific targets are currently under clinical investigation for various disorders including cancer. As the mechanisms of tumor evasion from the host immune system are versatile, different molecules have the capacity to be targeted by RNAi technology in order to enhance the immune response against tumors. This technology has been used to silence specific targets in tumor cells, as well as immune cells in cancer cell lines, animal models and clinical trials. siRNAs can also stimulate innate immune responses through activation of Toll-like receptors. Although currently clinical trials of the application of siRNA in cancer immunotherapy are few, it is predicted that in future this technology will be used broadly in cancer treatment.