ABSTRACT
Lipid-based nanoparticle systems have gained success in various fields, including cancer therapy; these particles are one of the most promising colloidal systems employed as carriers for bioactive molecules like nucleic acids. Over a decade, comprehensive research has been done for understanding the role of stable lipid-based nanoparticles for nucleic acid delivery to the target tissues by facilitating intracellular transport and assisting in escaping from the renal and hepatic clearance. Cancer is the most lethal disease, which involves abnormal cell growth and if detected early, can be treated with surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. A combinatorial approach of packing the precious cargo of nucleic acid therapeutics and unloading it at the target site avoiding unwanted side effects is inevitable while designing the carrier systems. Till date, many multiplexed approaches have been constructed and wielded for the delivery of plasmid DNAs containing transgenes, oligonucleotides, aptamers, messenger RNAs and small interfering RNAs. This chapter addresses the recent advances in the development of targeted lipid-based nanoparticles for nucleic acid delivery for applications in cancer therapy.
