title: Smuggling gold nanoparticles across cell types - A new role for exosomes in gene silencing.
abstract: Once released to the extracellular space, exosomes enable the transfer of proteins, lipids and RNA between different cells, being able to modulate the recipient cells' phenotypes. Members of the Rab small GTP-binding protein family, such as RAB27A, are responsible for the coordination of several steps in vesicle trafficking, including budding, mobility, docking and fusion. The use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for gene silencing is considered a cutting-edge technology. Here, AuNPs were functionalized with thiolated oligonucleotides anti-RAB27A (AuNP@PEG@anti-RAB27A) for selective silencing of the gene with a consequent decrease of exosomes´ release by MCF-7 and MDA-MB-453 cells. Furthermore, communication between tumor and normal cells was observed both in terms of alterations in c-Myc gene expression and transportation of the AuNPs, mediating gene silencing in secondary cells.
authors.affiliation: UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roma-Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: Francisca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior CRL, Quinta da Granja, Monte de Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: António P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Alves de Matos
authors.affiliation: UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, Portugal. Electronic address: pmvb@fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Pedro V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Baptista
authors.affiliation: UCIBIO, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, Portugal. Electronic address: ma.fernandes@fct.unl.pt.
authors.forename: Alexandra R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D055354:Exosomes / Q000235:genetics*; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D058726:Nanoconjugates / Q000737:chemistry*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D058726:Nanoconjugates; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins; D006046:Gold; C066694:RAB27A protein, human; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Breast cancer; Cell–cell communication; Exosomes; Gene silencing; Gold nanoparticles