Efficient delivery of Bcl-2-targeted siRNA using cationic polymer nanoparticles: downregulating mRNA expression level and sensitizing cancer cells to anticancer drug.

In this study, cationic nanoparticles self-assembled from the amphiphilic copolymer poly(N-methyldietheneamine sebacate)-co-[(cholesteryl oxocarbonylamido ethyl) methyl bis(ethylene) ammonium bromide] sebacate) (P(MDS-co-CES) were synthesized and used to deliver Bcl-2 targeted siRNA into HepG2, HeLa and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, and downregulate Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels. Confocal microscopic studies show that the nanoparticles were able to complex with siRNA and deliver it inside the cells efficiently, but siRNA was easily dissociated from the complexes in the cytoplasm for its biological functions. Bcl-2 mRNA expression levels as low as 10% were achieved after treatment with nanoparticle/siRNA complexes. The downregulation efficiency of Bcl-2 mRNA level was similar to that mediated by Lipofectamine but higher than that induced by PEI. PEG was also conjugated to siRNA via a cleavable disulfide bond, and nanoparticle/siRNA-PEG complexes showed no significant protein adsorption as compared with 26 and 17% ...