Development of MicroRNAs as Potential Therapeutics against Cancer

Table 2

miRNA delivery strategies.

Method of delivery	Advantages	Disadvantages
Nonviral vectors	Low immunogenicity; Low cost and easy to use	Less efficiency
(1) Lipid-based vectors	Protect RNA molecules within the vesicles to form stable nucleic acid lipid particles	Poor in vivo stability
(i) Liposomes
(a) Cationic
(b) Anionic
(c) Neutral
(2) Polymeric vectors	High structural and composition variability; Low toxicity and easy to use; Easily manipulated to increase stability, tissue specificity, and cellular uptake	Poorly biodegradable and toxic (PEI); Accumulate in the liver (PAMAM)
(i) Polyethylenimine (PEI),
(ii) Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA),
(iii) Poly amidoamine (PAMAM)
(3) Inorganic nanoparticles, e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNT), metallic nanoparticles, and nanorods based on iron oxides (IOs)	Low cytotoxicity; Nonimmunogenic; High stability in vivo; Easily manufactured	Long-term colloidal stability in aqueous solutions in the absence of surfactants; Nonspecific binding affinity to various functional groups
Viral vectors
Adenovirus, lentivirus, and retrovirus	High transfection efficiency; Stable expression	High immunogenicity; High toxicity; Complicated large-scale production; Relatively expensive