Gene Silencing and Gene Delivery in Therapeutics: Insights Using Quantum Dots

Hemophilia, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, immunological deficiencies, neuromuscular disease, blindness, and other ailments can all be treated with gene silencing and gene therapy, a growing discipline in medicine. It typically refers to a range of therapeutic techniques in which a patient’s body’s particular cells are given genetic material designed to correct and erase genetic flaws. The advancements in genetics and bioengineering have paved the way for the conceptualization of gene therapy through the manipulation of vectors, enabling the targeted transfer of extrachromosomal material to specific cells. One of the main focus areas of this methodology is the escalation of delivery vehicles (vectors), primarily plasmids or viruses; it still has difficulties because there is no good delivery mechanism that can precisely deliver stable small interfering Ribonucleic Acid (siRNA) or DNA to the target tissue location. As they are non-fluorescent, the siRNA or DNA delivery procedure is unable to be monitored by these carriers. In the context of quantum dots (QDs), the formation of QD-siRNA or QD/DNA complexes facilitated the real-time monitoring and precise localization of QDs during the silencing, delivery, and transfection processes. The unique dual-modality optical and fluorescent properties exhibited by quantum dots contribute to their utility as versatile imaging probes. The research studies discussed in this review article will provide a framework for designing efficient QD-based nanocarriers that can successfully carry therapeutic genetic tools into targeted cells. As a result of their findings, the researchers developed some unique QDs that successfully attached to the siRNA or DNA and carried it to the desired place. The use of these QD-based delivery devices could enhance the field of gene silencing and gene delivery.