title: Gold nanoparticle-assisted delivery of small, highly structured RNA into the nuclei of human cells.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be used as a general platform for loading and delivering DNA oligonucleotides and short hairpin RNA to living systems. Here, we report the ability of functionalized AuNP to deliver RNA aptamers into the nuclei of human cells. An in vitro-synthesized RNA aptamer specific to the β-catenin protein was delivered into the HepG2 human cell line more efficiently via functionalized AuNP than liposome-based delivery, and resulted in nearly complete inhibition of β-catenin binding to the p50 subunit of NF-κB in the nucleus. This inhibition led to repression of NF-κB p50-dependent transcription of CRP. Also, the β-catenin aptamer in the nucleus led to down-regulation of β-catenin-mediated transcriptional activity through the TCF complex and resulted in decrease in the levels of cyclin D, and c-myc mRNA by ~47% and ~57%, respectively. In addition, we used functionalized AuNP to deliver another RNA aptamer targeted to the p50 subunit of NF-κB into the A549 human cell line, and this was sufficient to induce apoptosis of the cells. Our findings demonstrate that AuNP GDS can be used to deliver small, highly structured RNA aptamers into the nucleus of human cells where they modulate the activity of transactivators by interacting with target proteins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, CHA University, Seongnam 463-836, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ryou
authors.forename: Jong-Myung
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yeom
authors.forename: Seogang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hyun
authors.forename: Sudeok
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Si Wouk
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeehyeon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Sangmyung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Kangseok
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics*; D006046:Gold; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D052002:NF-kappa B p50 Subunit; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051176:beta Catenin; D006046:Gold