Abstract
Abnormalities in leukocytes' function are associated with many immune related disorders, such as cancer, autoimmunity and susceptibility to infectious diseases. Recent developments in Genome-wide-association-studies give rise to new opportunities for novel therapeutics. RNA-based modalities, that allow a selective genetic manipulation in vivo, are powerful tools for personalized medicine, enabling downregulation or expression of relevant proteins. Yet, RNA-based therapeutics requires a delivery modality to facilitate the stability, uptake and intracellular release of the RNA molecules. The use of lipid nanoparticles as a drug delivery approach improves the payloads' stability, pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution and therapeutic benefit while reducing side effects. Moreover, a wide variety of targeting moieties allow a precise and modular manipulation of gene expression, together with the ability to identify and selectively affect disease-relevant leukocytes-subsets. Altogether, RNA-based therapeutics, targeting leukocytes subsets, is believed to be one of the most promising therapeutic concepts of the near future, addressing pressing issues in cancer and inflammation heterogeneity.