Polyethyleneimine-coated quantum dots for miRNA delivery and its enhanced suppression in HepG2 cells.

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Polyethyleneimine-coated quantum dots for miRNA delivery and its enhanced suppression in HepG2 cells.

Int J Nanomedicine. 2016;11:6079-6088

Authors: Liang G, Li Y, Feng W, Wang X, Jing A, Li J, Ma K

Abstract
Quantum dots (QDs) have been intensively investigated for bioimaging, drug delivery, and labeling probes because of their unique optical properties. In this study, CdSe/ZnS QDs-based nonviral vectors with the dual functions of delivering miR-26a plasmid and bioimaging were formulated by capping the surface of CdSe/ZnS QDs with polyethyleneimine (PEI). The PEI-coated QDs were capable of condensing miR-26a expression vector into nanocomplexes that can emit strong red luminescence when loaded with CdSe/ZnS QDs. Further results showed that PEI-modified nanoparticles (NPs) could transfect miR-26a plasmid into HepG2 cells in vitro. Meanwhile, imaging of living cells could be achieved based on the CdSe/ZnS QDs. Further study suggested that miR-26a transfection up-regulated miR-26a expression, induced cycle arrest, and triggered proliferation inhibition in HepG2 cells. The results indicated that PEI-coated QD NPs possess the capability of bioimaging and gene delivery and could be a promising vehicle with the engineering of QD NPs for gene therapy in the future.

PMID: 27895481 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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