RNAi therapeutics carried a great promise to the area of personalized medicine: the ability to target “undruggable” oncogenic pathways. Nevertheless, their efficient tumor targeting via systemic administration had not been resolved yet. Amphiphilic alkylated poly(α)glutamate amine (APA) can serve as a cationic carrier to the negatively-charged oligonucleotides. APA polymers complexed with siRNA to form round-shaped, homogenous and reproducible nano-sized polyplexes bearing ~50 nm size and slightly negative charge. In addition, APA:siRNA polyplexes were shown to be potent gene regulators in vitro. In light of these preferred physico-chemical characteristics, their performance as systemically-administered siRNA nanocarriers was investigated. Intravenously-injected APA:siRNA polyplexes accumulated selectively in tumors and did not accumulate in the lungs, heart, liver or spleen. Nevertheless, the polyplexes failed to induce specific mRNA degradation, hence neither reduction in tumor volume nor prolonged mice survival was seen.
Publication - Abstract
Sep 18, 2013
Pharmaceutics
Technological advances in both siRNA (small interfering RNA) and whole genome sequencing have demonstrated great potential in translating genetic information into siRNA-based drugs to halt the synthesis of most disease-caus...
Publication - Abstract
Apr 13, 2021
Pharmaceutics