title: PEGylated polyethyleneimine grafted silica nanoparticles: enhanced cellular uptake and efficient siRNA delivery.
abstract: The present paper reports the utilization of hybrid nanocomposite particles consisting of PEI25k-PEG5k copolymer grafted silica nanoparticles (SiO(2)NPs) for enhanced cellular uptake and siRNA delivery. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements ensured the average particle size of the final hybrid component as 45 nm (core SiO(2), 28-30 nm and shell PEI25k-PEG5k, 12-15 nm). Surface morphology from atomic force microscopy analysis showed the significant relationship between the particle size and shape. (29)Si and (13)C cross-polarization-magic angle spinning solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), (1)H-NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used to obtain the relevant structural information (such as Q3, silanol; Q4, siloxane functional groups of SiO(2)NPs; resonance shifts and bending vibrations of PEI25k, -CH(2)-CH(2)-NH-; and PEG5k, -CH(2)-CH(2)-O-) from copolymer nanoparticle. Stable complexation of siRNA and nanocomposite particle (wt.%:wt.%) was achieved from 1:5 to 1:15 ratio. Nanocomposite particle (N/P) ratio and siRNA concentration determine the stability and knockdown efficiency of the PEI25k-PEG5k-graft-SiO(2)NPs-siRNA complexes. It was shown that highly positively charged (zeta potential, +66 mV) PEI25k-PEG5k-graft-SiO(2)NPs result in strong affinity with negatively charged siRNA. Confocal microscopy showed intensified cellular uptake of siRNA into cytoplasm of A549 cancer cell utilized for in vitro study. In conclusion, the coherence, graft density of copolymer-SiO(2)NPs, and siRNA concentration were found to strongly influence the stability, and hence determine the knockdown efficiency, of PEI25k-PEG5k-graft-SiO(2)NPs-siRNA complexes.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, 50 Irwon-Dong, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Haisung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dongkyung
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.forename: Murugan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veerapandian
authors.forename: Kyusik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Soo-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Seo
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006801:Humans; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011094:Polyethyleneimine