title: Self-assembled multifunctional nanoplexes for gene inhibitory therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To enhance the stability of siRNA while improving their therapeutic properties and visualization at the target site, a novel nanoplex system was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The designed nanoplex system involved functionalizing siRNA with near-infrared quantum dots and loading them into histidylated glycol chitosan (GC-His).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Colocalization studies revealed a twofold increase in siRNA uptake after encapsulation with GC-His and nanoparticles were localized in cytoplasm, suggesting that histidine promoted their dissociation from the endosomal membranes. Furthermore, as opposed to siRNAs treated with commercial transfection reagent, siRNAs loaded within GC-His showed a marked reduction (64%) of MDM2 protein expression 24 h after transfection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings concur that GC-His/siRNA-quantum dot nanoplexes are promising multifunctional vehicles for gene inhibitory therapy.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A2B4, Canada.
authors: Fereshteh
authors: F
authors: Azari
authors: Marinella G
authors: MG
authors: Sandros
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Tabrizian
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D045663:Quantum Dots
chemical_list: D048271:Chitosan; C497206:MDM2 protein, human; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2