Functionalized graphene oxide mediated adriamycin delivery and miR-21 gene silencing to overcome tumor multidrug resistance in vitro

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e60034. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060034. Epub 2013 Mar 20.

Abstract

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major impediment to successful cancer chemotherapy. Co-delivery of novel MDR-reversing agents and anticancer drugs to cancer cells holds great promise for cancer treatment. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) overexpression is associated with the development and progression of MDR in breast cancer, and it is emerging as a novel and promising MDR-reversing target. In this study, a multifunctional nanocomplex, composed of polyethylenimine (PEI)/poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonates) (PSS)/graphene oxide (GO) and termed PPG, was prepared using the layer-by-layer assembly method to evaluate the reversal effects of PPG as a carrier for adriamycin (ADR) along with miR-21 targeted siRNA (anti-miR-21) in cancer drug resistance. ADR was firstly loaded onto the PPG surface (PPGADR) by physical mixing and anti-miR-21 was sequentially loaded onto PPGADR through electric absorption to form (anti-miR-21)PPGADR. Cell experiments showed that PPG significantly enhanced the accumulation of ADR in MCF-7/ADR cells (an ADR resistant breast cancer cell line) and exhibited much higher cytotoxicity than free ADR, suggesting that PPG could effectively reverse ADR resistance of MCF-7/ADR. Furthermore, the enhanced therapeutic efficacy of PPG could be correlated with effective silencing of miR-21 and with increased accumulation of ADR in drug-resistant tumor cells. The endocytosis study confirmed that PPG could effectively carry drug molecules into cells via the caveolae and clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathways. These results suggest that this PPG could be a potential and efficient non-viral vector for reversing MDR, and the strategy of combining anticancer drugs with miRNA therapy to overcome MDR could be an attractive approach in cancer treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology*
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Silencing / drug effects*
  • Graphite / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Polyethyleneimine / administration & dosage
  • Polymers / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Small Interfering / administration & dosage
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sulfonic Acids / administration & dosage

Substances

  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Polymers
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Sulfonic Acids
  • Graphite
  • Doxorubicin
  • Polyethyleneimine
  • styrenesulfonic acid polymer

Grants and funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31071046, 21135002, 21121091), Changzhou Science Development Project (CS20092015, CS20102010), Changzhou Health Bureau Key Project (ZD200903, ZD201007), National Basic Research Program of China (2010CB732400). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.