title: Polymer Based Gene Silencing: In Vitro Delivery of SiRNA.
abstract: Gene silencing may be achieved by harnessing the RNA interference mechanism to effect down-regulation of protein expression. The therapeutic use of siRNA is dependent on its delivery to the intracellular space. This chapter describes the delivery of siRNA by N-(2-ethylamino)-6-O-glycolchitosan (EAGC). EAGC is a chitosan-based polymer, which binds to siRNA to form nanoparticles (NPs). The steps necessary to determine the delivery capacity of a polymer are presented in this chapter using EAGC as an example. The steps include: the transfection of cells with EAGC-siRNA polyplexes and protein detection by a Western Blotting assay.
authors.affiliation: UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.
authors.forename: Margarida I Simão
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.affiliation: UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK.|Nanomerics Ltd., 1394 High Road, London, N20 9YZ, UK.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schätzlein
authors.affiliation: UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AX, UK. Ijeoma.uchegbu@ucl.ac.uk.|Nanomerics Ltd., 1394 High Road, London, N20 9YZ, UK. Ijeoma.uchegbu@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Ijeoma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uchegbu
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Cationic polymer; Down-regulation; Gene delivery; N-(2-ethylamino)-6-O-glycolchitosan (EAGC); Transfection; Western Blotting; siRNA