title: Chitosan Nanoparticles for SiRNA Delivery In Vitro.
abstract: RNA interference, the process in which small interfering RNAs (SiRNAs) silence a specific gene and thus inhibit the associated protein, has opened new doors for the treatment of a wide range of diseases. However, efficient delivery of SiRNAs remains a challenge, especially due to their instability in biological environments and their inability to cross cell membranes. To protect and deliver SiRNAs to mammalian cells, a variety of polymeric nanocarriers have been developed. Among them, the polysaccharide chitosan has generated great interests. This derivative of natural chitin is biodegradable and biocompatible, and can complex SiRNAs into nanoparticles on account of its positive charges. However, chitosan presents some limitations that need to be taken into account when designing chitosan/SiRNA nanoparticles. Here, we describe a method to prepare SiRNA/chitosan nanoparticles with high gene silencing efficiency and low cytotoxicity by using the ionic gelation technique.
authors.affiliation: Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.|David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Héloïse
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ragelle
authors.affiliation: Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vanvarenberg
authors.affiliation: Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gaëlle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vandermeulen
authors.affiliation: Louvain Drug Research Institute, Advanced Drug Delivery and Biomaterials, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200, Brussels, Belgium. veronique.preat@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Préat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D048271:Chitosan; D008156:Luciferases
keywords: Chitosan; Gene silencing; Ionic gelation; Nanoparticles; Nucleic acid delivery; PEGylated chitosan; RNA interference; SiRNA