title: Chaperonin-Dendrimer Conjugates for siRNA Delivery.
abstract: The group II chaperonin thermosome (THS) is a hollow protein nanoparticle that can encapsulate macromolecular guests. Two large pores grant access to the interior of the protein cage. Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) is conjugated into THS to act as an anchor for small interfering RNA (siRNA), allowing to load the THS with therapeutic payload. THS-PAMAM protects siRNA from degradation by RNase A and traffics KIF11 and GAPDH siRNA into U87 cancer cells. By modification of the protein cage with the cell-penetrating peptide TAT, RNA interference is also induced in PC-3 cells. THS-PAMAM protein-polymer conjugates are therefore promising siRNA transfection reagents and greatly expand the scope of protein cages in drug delivery applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 80 4056 Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Nussbaumer
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 80 4056 Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Duskey
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 80 4056 Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rother
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 80 4056 Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kasper
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Renggli
authors.affiliation: C-CINA Center for Cellular Imaging and Nano Analytics Biozentrum University of Basel Mattenstrasse 26 4058 Basel Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chami
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry University of Basel Klingelbergstrasse 804056 Basel Switzerland; Adolphe Merkle Institute University of Fribourg Chemin des Verdiers 41700 Fribourg Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bruns
keywords: RNA interference; drug delivery nanosystems; nucleotide delivery vehicle; protein cages; protein–polymer conjugates; small interfering RNA