Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles modified by branched polyethylenimine are effective non-viral vectors for siRNA transfection of hepatoma cells in vitro.

Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles modified by branched polyethylenimine are effective non-viral vectors for siRNA transfection of hepatoma cells in vitro. Int J Oncol. 2015 Mar 5; Authors: Xu XL, Yang HY, Ou B, Lin SD, Wu H, He W, Jiang QC, Luo BM, Li GP Abstract Small interfering RNA (siRNA) technology is a powerful tool in biomedical research and holds great potential for RNA interference-based therapies for HIV, hepatitis and cancer. However, the absence of a safe and efficient method for the delivery of siRNA has become a bottleneck for their development. Nanocrystallized hydroxyapatite (nHAP) appears to be an optimal candidate non-viral gene vector for several reasons, including its good biocompatibility and ease of production, however, nHAP microemulsions cannot remain monodispersed for long periods of time. Due to their high surface energy, nHAP particles gradually aggregate into large ones that are difficult for the cell to take up. To overcome this we modified nHAP with polyethylenimine (PEI) to generate a compound (MnHAP) with a tight size-distribution of <200 nm. The positive surface potential of MnHAP inhibited particle aggregation and thus made it easier to conjugate more siRNA. The transfection efficiency of MnHAP/fluorescent FAM-labeled siRNA complex was tested using flow cytometry, and the transfected cells were observed using fluorescence microscopy. The cytotoxicity of MnHAP/siRNA complexes to the human liver cancer ...
Source: International Journal of Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Int J Oncol Source Type: research