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Cationic Lipid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles as Efficient and Non-Cytotoxic Intracellular siRNA Delivery Vehicles

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ABSTRACT

Purpose

Cationic lipid-coated gold nanoparticles were developed for efficient intracellular delivery of therapeutic siRNA.

Methods

Particle formation was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering analysis. Cellular uptake, gene silencing effect, and cytotoxicity were investigated in multiple human cancer cell lines.

Results

Nanoparticles had a spherical nanostructure with highly cationic surface charge and could form stable nanosized polyelectrolyte complexes with siRNA via electrostatic interactions; complexes exhibited efficient intracellular uptake and significant gene silencing effect with markedly low cytotoxicity compared to the widely used polycationic carrier, linear polyethyleneimine.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that cationic lipid-coated gold nanoparticles could be widely utilized as efficient and safe siRNA nanocarriers for diverse therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & DISCLOSURES

The late Professor Tae Gwan Park supervised the overall work as a principal investigator. All coauthors deeply appreciate his invaluable contribution and educational efforts. This research was supported by the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs, and the World Class University project, Basic Science Research Program (2010–0027955) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Republic of Korea.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Nanoscience & Technology Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 305-701, South Korea

    Won Ho Kong, Ki Hyun Bae, Sung Duk Jo, Jee Seon Kim & Tae Gwan Park

  2. Department of Material Science & Engineering, Pohang University of Science & Technology, San 31, Hyoja-dong, Nam-gu, Pohang, 790-784, South Korea

    Won Ho Kong

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  1. Won Ho Kong
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  2. Ki Hyun Bae
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Won Ho Kong.

Additional information

Won Ho Kong and Ki Hyun Bae contributed equally to this work as first authors. The authors express their sincere condolences to family on the death (April 10, 2011) of Prof. Tae Gwan Park.

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Kong, W.H., Bae, K.H., Jo, S.D. et al. Cationic Lipid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles as Efficient and Non-Cytotoxic Intracellular siRNA Delivery Vehicles. Pharm Res 29, 362–374 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-011-0554-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-011-0554-y

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