The effects of fluoroalkyl chain length and density on siRNA delivery of bioreducible poly(amido amine)s

Polyamidoamine-Carbon Nanodot Conjugates with Bioreducible Building Blocks: Smart Theranostic Platforms for Targeted siRNA Delivery

This study focuses on designing hybrid theranostic nanosystems, utilizing gadolinium-doped carbon nanodots decorated with bioreducible amphoteric polyamidoamines (PAAs). The objective is to synergize the exceptional theranostic properties of gadolinium-doped carbon nanodots (CDs) with the siRNA complexation capabilities of PAAs. Linear copolymeric polyamidoamines, based on N,N'-bis(acryloyl)cystamine, arginine, and agmatine, were synthesized, resulting in three distinct amphoteric copolymers. Notably, sulfur bridges within the PAA repeating units confer pronounced susceptibility to glutathione-mediated degradation─a key attribute in the tumor microenvironment. This pathway enables controlled and stimuli-responsive siRNA release, theoretically providing precise spatiotemporal control over therapeutic interventions. The selected PAA, conjugated with CDs using the redox-sensitive spacer cystamine, formed the CDs-Cys-PAA conjugate with superior siRNA complexing capacity. Stable against polyanion exchange, the CDs-Cys-PAA/siRNA complex released siRNA in the presence of GSH. In vitro studies assessed cytocompatibility, internalization, and gene silencing efficacy on HeLa, MCF-7, and 16HBE cell lines.

Fluorinated vectors for gene delivery

INTRODUCTION

Gene delivery vectors are a crucial determinant for gene therapeutic efficacy. Usually, it is necessary to use an excess of cationic vectors to achieve better transfection efficiency. However, it will cause severe cytotoxicity. In addition, cationic vectors are not resistant to serum, suffering from reduced transfection efficiency by forming large aggregates. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop optimized gene delivery vectors. Recently, fluorination of vectors has been extensively applied to increase the gene delivery performance because of the unique properties of both hydrophobicity and lipophobicity, and chemical and biological inertness.

AREAS COVERED

This review will discuss the fluorophilic effects that impact gene delivery efficiency, and chemical modification approaches for fluorination. Next, recent advances and applications of fluorinated polymeric and lipidic vectors in gene therapy and gene editing are summarized.

EXPERT OPINION

Fluorinated vectors are a promising candidate for gene delivery. However, it still needs further studies to obtain pure and well-defined fluorinated polymers, guarantee the biosafety, and clarify the detailed mechanism. Apart from the improvements in gene delivery, exploiting other versatility of fluorinated vectors, such as oxygen-carrying ability, high affinity with fluorine-containing drugs, and imaging property upon introducing 19^F, will further facilitate their applications in gene therapy.

Fluorinated PEG-PEI Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles for siRNA Delivery and CXCR4 Knockdown

CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is a promising therapeutic target. Previous studies have shown that intracellular delivery of siRNA to knockdown CXCR4 expression in cancer cells is an effective therapeutic strategy. To prepare efficient magnetic nucleic acid carriers, it is now necessary to improve the endocytosis efficiency of PEGylated magnetic nanoparticles. In our work, Heptafluorobutyryl-polyethylene glycol-polyethyleneimine (FPP) was first prepared and then used to coat magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to obtain magnetic nanocarriers FPP@MNPs. The materials were characterized by 19 F-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The biosecurity of FPP@MNPs was confirmed by cell viability and apoptosis experiments. Cellular uptake of FPP@MNPs and siRNA transfection enhanced by external magnetic fields were detected by fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser microscopy, and flow cytometry. The results show that the cellular uptake efficiency of FPP@MNPs was significantly improved, and transfection efficiency reached more than 90%. The knockdown of CXCR4 on the 4 T1 cell membrane was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry. In conclusion, the fluorinated cationic polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles FPP@MNPs can be loaded with siRNA to reduce CXCR4 expression as well as be expected to be efficient universal siRNA carriers.

Hyaluronate-coated perfluoroalkyl polyamine prodrugs as bioactive siRNA delivery systems for the treatment of peritoneal cancers

RNA interference (RNAi) is an emerging therapeutic modality for cancer, which remains in critical need of effective delivery vectors due to the unfavorable biopharmaceutical properties of small RNAs. Polyamines are essential for functioning of mammalian cells. Dysregulated polyamine metabolism is found in many cancers and has been an attractive therapeutic target in combination therapies. Combination therapies based on drugs that affect polyamine metabolism and nucleic acids promise to enhance anticancer activity due to a cooperative effect on multiple oncogenic pathways. Here, we report bioactive polycationic prodrug (F-PaP) based on an anticancer polyamine analog bisethylnorspermine (BENSpm) modified with perfluoroalkyl moieties. Following encapsulation of siRNA, F-PaP/siRNA nanoparticles were coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) to form ternary nanoparticles HA@F-PaP/siRNA. The presence of perfluoroalkyl moieties and HA reduced cell membrane toxicity and improved stability of the particles with cooperatively enhanced siRNA delivery in pancreatic and colon cancer cell lines. We then tested a therapeutic hypothesis that combining BENSpm with siRNA silencing of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) would result in cooperative cancer cell killing. HA@F-PaP/siPLK1 induced polyamine catabolism and cell cycle arrest, leading to enhanced apoptosis in the tested cell lines. The HA-coated nanoparticles facilitated tumor accumulation and contributed to strong tumor inhibition and favorable modulation of the immune tumor microenvironment in orthotopic pancreatic cancer model. Combination anticancer therapy with polyamine prodrug-mediated delivery of siRNA. Hyaluronate coating of the siRNA nanoparticles facilitates selective accumulation in orthotopic pancreatic tumors. Perfluoroalkyl conjugation reduces toxicity and improves gene silencing effect. Nanoparticle treatment induces polyamine catabolism and cell cycle arrest leading to strong tumor inhibition and favorable modulation of immune tumor microenvironment.