Small interfering RNA
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a short double-stranded RNA molecule that mediates sequence-specific gene silencing through the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway.
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a short double-stranded RNA molecule that mediates sequence-specific gene silencing through the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. After cellular uptake, the siRNA duplex is loaded into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). The antisense strand is retained, principally by the catalytic protein Argonaute 2 (AGO2), and guides the complex to a complementary messenger RNA (mRNA). Target recognition can promote cleavage and degradation of the mRNA, thereby reducing production of the encoded protein. Because siRNA acts at the level of gene expression, it can be used to investigate gene function and to target disease-associated proteins that may be difficult to inhibit with conventional small molecules or antibodies.
The principal pharmaceutical challenge is delivery. Naked siRNA is susceptible to degradation and has limited access to the cytoplasm, so therapeutic systems commonly use lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, peptides, extracellular vesicles, or membrane-derived nanoplatforms. Current research applies siRNA-mediated gene knockdown to cancer, viral infection, pulmonary disease, and placental vascular disorders. Combinations with ferroptosis, apoptosis, photodynamic or photothermal therapy, and immune or epigenetic interventions are being investigated to increase therapeutic efficacy while controlling effects in healthy tissues.
Where the papers sit
17 papers from the last 6 months study Small interfering RNA directly · updated from PubMed 10 Oct 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 1 human data · 12 preclinical · 4 unclassified
Themes one subject
Those 17 are all about one subject.
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Targeted RNAi Delivery
Targeted RNAi delivery is moving toward multifunctional carriers that combine gene silencing with anti-inflammatory, ferroptotic, photodynamic or immune-epigenetic effects. Lipid and polymeric nanoparticles, engineered exosomes, hydrogels, peptide systems, microneedles and inhalable powders recur as ways to improve tissue access and protect siRNA. Co-delivery of siTNF-α with dexamethasone or CoQ10, and silencing of targets such as FTH1P7, ATAD3A and MMP7, illustrates the shift from single-gene treatment to pathway-level therapy. The evidence remains predominantly preclinical and spans cancer, inflammatory disease, viral infection and pregnancy complications, leaving durability, targeting precision and clinical translation open.
Papers
The 17 papers from the last 6 months that study Small interfering RNA directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
Targeted RNAi Delivery (17)
- Dissolving Microneedles Loaded with Lipid Nanoparticles for Co-Delivery of siTNF-α and Dexamethasone as a Dual-Action Therapy for Psoriasis. ACS applied materials & interfaces · 14 Sept 2026 PMID 42735507
- Sequential Precise Targeted Hepatitis B Virus Therapy: Hepatitis B Virus-Specific Small Interfering RNA Followed by Aggregation-Induced Emission-Photothermal Ablation Based on Macrophage Membrane-Coated Nanoplatform. ACS applied bio materials · 8 Sept 2026 PMID 42709589
- A dual functional hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle co-loaded coenzyme Q10 and siRNA TNFα for anti-inflammatory skin therapy. International journal of pharmaceutics · 4 Sept 2026 PMID 42697387
- PEBP1 Regulates Ferroptosis in Acute Glaucoma: Targeted Therapy Using Engineered Exosomes. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 3 Sept 2026 PMID 42687852
- Folic-Acid-Modified Fe-TCPP Metal-Organic Frameworks as Sonosensitive Agents and siATAD3A Carriers for Sonodynamic Co-Gene-Ferroptosis Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. ACS biomaterials science & engineering · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42679356
- Structure-optimized asymmetric siRNA increases predicted AGO2 binding affinity to augment targeted MMP7 gene silencing efficacy. European journal of pharmacology · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42612768
- Hydrogels and nanogels based on 2Nap-capped cationic tripeptides: influence of lysine position and siRNA delivery properties. Biomaterials science · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42612058
- Development of inhalable dry powders with a high content of naked cholesterol-modified siRNA by spray freeze drying and spray drying techniques. International journal of pharmaceutics · 11 Aug 2026 PMID 42580499
- Polymeric nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery into primary human bronchial airway cells. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology · 9 Aug 2026 PMID 42572107
- Induction and propagation of ferroptosis evasion by FTH1P7 drives sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. European journal of pharmacology · 3 Aug 2026 PMID 42546831
- Evolution of peptide-mediated siRNA delivery - from early design to next generation platform. Nanomedicine (London, England) · 1 Aug 2026 PMID 42541443
- A Ferrous-Supply-Regenerating Lipid Nanoparticle Integrating RNAi Induces Ferroptosis for Cancer Therapy. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 30 Jul 2026 PMID 42528415
- Dendriplexes in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma therapy. International journal of pharmaceutics · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42425239
- Metabolic regulation-driven nanoparticles for tumor vulnerabilization and enhanced photodynamic therapy. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 3 Jul 2026 PMID 42398835
- Selective silencing of placental anti-angiogenic factors in invasive trophoblasts via membrane-fusion divalent siRNA delivery for preeclampsia therapy. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385857
- Ultrasound-programmable tumor extracellular vesicles delivery system for dual immune-epigenetic therapy against colorectal cancer metastasis. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 17 Jun 2026 PMID 42309466
- Multifunctional hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle enabling resveratrol and siRNA co-delivery for enhanced cutaneous wound repair. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces · 24 May 2026 PMID 42177899
By study type
Human data, design not indexed (1)
- Structure-optimized asymmetric siRNA increases predicted AGO2 binding affinity to augment targeted MMP7 gene silencing efficacy. European journal of pharmacology · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42612768
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (12)
- A dual functional hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle co-loaded coenzyme Q10 and siRNA TNFα for anti-inflammatory skin therapy. International journal of pharmaceutics · 4 Sept 2026 PMID 42697387
- PEBP1 Regulates Ferroptosis in Acute Glaucoma: Targeted Therapy Using Engineered Exosomes. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 3 Sept 2026 PMID 42687852
- Folic-Acid-Modified Fe-TCPP Metal-Organic Frameworks as Sonosensitive Agents and siATAD3A Carriers for Sonodynamic Co-Gene-Ferroptosis Therapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. ACS biomaterials science & engineering · 1 Sept 2026 PMID 42679356
- Hydrogels and nanogels based on 2Nap-capped cationic tripeptides: influence of lysine position and siRNA delivery properties. Biomaterials science · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42612058
- Development of inhalable dry powders with a high content of naked cholesterol-modified siRNA by spray freeze drying and spray drying techniques. International journal of pharmaceutics · 11 Aug 2026 PMID 42580499
- Polymeric nanoparticle-mediated siRNA delivery into primary human bronchial airway cells. American journal of physiology. Cell physiology · 9 Aug 2026 PMID 42572107
- Induction and propagation of ferroptosis evasion by FTH1P7 drives sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. European journal of pharmacology · 3 Aug 2026 PMID 42546831
- Dendriplexes in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma therapy. International journal of pharmaceutics · 9 Jul 2026 PMID 42425239
- Metabolic regulation-driven nanoparticles for tumor vulnerabilization and enhanced photodynamic therapy. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 3 Jul 2026 PMID 42398835
- Selective silencing of placental anti-angiogenic factors in invasive trophoblasts via membrane-fusion divalent siRNA delivery for preeclampsia therapy. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 1 Jul 2026 PMID 42385857
- Ultrasound-programmable tumor extracellular vesicles delivery system for dual immune-epigenetic therapy against colorectal cancer metastasis. Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 17 Jun 2026 PMID 42309466
- Multifunctional hybrid lipid-polymeric nanoparticle enabling resveratrol and siRNA co-delivery for enhanced cutaneous wound repair. Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces · 24 May 2026 PMID 42177899
Unclassified: not yet indexed with MeSH (4)
- Dissolving Microneedles Loaded with Lipid Nanoparticles for Co-Delivery of siTNF-α and Dexamethasone as a Dual-Action Therapy for Psoriasis. ACS applied materials & interfaces · 14 Sept 2026 PMID 42735507
- Sequential Precise Targeted Hepatitis B Virus Therapy: Hepatitis B Virus-Specific Small Interfering RNA Followed by Aggregation-Induced Emission-Photothermal Ablation Based on Macrophage Membrane-Coated Nanoplatform. ACS applied bio materials · 8 Sept 2026 PMID 42709589
- Evolution of peptide-mediated siRNA delivery - from early design to next generation platform. Nanomedicine (London, England) · 1 Aug 2026 PMID 42541443
- A Ferrous-Supply-Regenerating Lipid Nanoparticle Integrating RNAi Induces Ferroptosis for Cancer Therapy. Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 30 Jul 2026 PMID 42528415
Written from 17 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-09-11. Last written: 2026-09-16 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.