Article

Pharmacological potential of RNAi--focus on miRNA.

Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Bonn, Biomedical Center, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
Pharmacology [?] Therapeutics (impact factor: 8.56). 04/2010; 126(3):217-27. DOI:10.1016/j.pharmthera.2010.03.006 pp.217-27
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular process that is widely used as a research tool to control the expression of specific genes and has the potential as a therapeutic strategy for many diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are the two principal categories of small RNAs that induce RNAi in a broad spectrum of eukaryotic organisms including human cells. miRNAs have an enormous capacity to regulate multiple genes and the expression of approximately 30% of the human genes is affected by these non-coding RNAs. Because many miRNAs are specifically expressed during disease, miRNAs are interesting tools for pharmacology and understanding the function of specific miRNAs will help to identify novel drug targets. Furthermore, miRNA-based diagnostics as well as therapeutic interventions are being developed for clinical applications.

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Keywords

broad spectrum
 
clinical applications
 
enormous capacity
 
human cells
 
human genes
 
MicroRNAs
 
miRNA-based diagnostics
 
miRNAs
 
multiple genes
 
non-coding RNAs
 
novel drug targets
 
research tool
 
RNA interference
 
RNAs
 
siRNAs
 
small RNAs
 
specific genes
 
specific miRNAs
 
therapeutic strategy
 
two principal categories