BACKGROUND

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) provides a new method for anti-tumor therapy by targeting Survivin gene in liver cancer. However, free Survivin siRNA is easily degraded and cleared by endonucleases or macrophages in the blood circulation. Therefore, it is urgent to construct a safe and efficient delivery system to achieve effective transfection of Survivin siRNA.

METHODS

In this study, cationic carbon dots (CCDs) with active targeting ability (FA-PEI-CDs) were designed and prepared using carbon dots (CDs), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and folic acid (FA). Then, Survivin siRNA was loaded by electrostatic adsorption to design a gene-loaded complex with gene silencing effect (FA-PEI-CDs@Survivin siRNA).

RESULTS

As FA-PEI-CDs had good dispersibility, an average diameter of about 21.71 nm and a zeta potential of 5.11 mV. They had good proton buffering capacity and excellent biocompatibility and could not cause erythrocyte hemolysis and thrombosis. When FA-PEI-CDs were mixed with Survivin siRNA at a mass ratio of 2:1, they can completely load siRNA without being interfered by polyanion in vivo and avoid the degradation of siRNA by serum or intracellular nuclease, which significantly increased the circulation time of siRNA in blood. Meantime, when the mass ratio of FA-PEI-CDs to Survivin siRNA was 3:1, the maximum transfection efficiency was 22.8% and 28.5% in HL-7702 cells and HepG2 cells, respectively. In vitro cell experiments confirmed that the gene complex can specifically kill tumor cells without damaging normal liver cells. In vivo tumor inhibition experiments further confirmed that FA-PEI-CDs@Survivin siRNA can cause tumor cell necrosis and reduce the expression of Survivin protein.

CONCLUSION

In summary, FA-PEI-CDs can carry Survivin siRNA to achieve tumor gene silencing therapy, which will expand the treatment of liver cancer and provide a new idea for carbon nanomaterials in biological genetic engineering.