title: Aptamer mediated siRNA delivery.
abstract: Nucleic acids that bind to cells and are subsequently internalized could prove to be novel delivery reagents. An anti-prostate specific membrane antigen aptamer that has previously been shown to bind to prostate tumor cells was coupled to siRNAs via a modular streptavidin bridge. The resulting conjugates could be simply added onto cells without any further preparation, and were taken up within 30 min. The siRNA-mediated inhibition of gene expression was as efficient as observed with conventional lipid-based reagents, and was dependent upon conjugation to the aptamer. These results suggest new venues for the therapeutic delivery of siRNAs and for the development of reagents that can be used to probe cellular physiology.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Ted C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Karen Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Twu
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ellington
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D034882:Lamins / Q000378:metabolism; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D019809:Streptavidin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D034882:Lamins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D019809:Streptavidin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen