Novel molecules are constantly being discovered and
developed to find better means of managing debilitating
and fatal diseases, which include cancer in its multiple
forms. Among these molecules, and as a direct consequence
of a better understanding of the molecular basis
of diseases, are those falling within the class of gene
therapeutics. Among these players, deoxyribozymes
(DNAzymes) have come a long way from being just
another analytic tool available to molecular biologists.
Recent studies have shown the potential DNAzymes to
serve as drugs both in cell-based assays and preclinical
models of cancer. It is anticipated that with the development
of smart delivery systems for DNAzymes, better
pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics will be possible,
expediting DNAzyme march toward the clinic. Also, the
ability of DNAzymes to yield to such phenomena as lightinduced
activation may be exploited for targeted therapy.
This review documents the rise of DNAzymes in the
fight against cancer and serves as a forecast for this promising
biotechnology in this context.