A Polyethylenimine-Containing and Transferrin-Conjugated Lipid Nanoparticle System for Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery to AML

Biomed Res Int. 2016:2016:1287128. doi: 10.1155/2016/1287128. Epub 2016 Jan 26.

Abstract

Limited success of antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) in clinical anticancer therapy calls for more effective delivery carriers. The goal of this study was to develop a nanoparticle system for delivery of ASO G3139, which targets mRNA of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. The synthesized nanoparticle Tf-LPN-G3139 contained a small molecular weight polyethylenimine and two cationic lipids as condensing agents, with transferrin on its surface for selective binding and enhanced cellular uptake. The optimized nitrogen to phosphate (N/P) ratio was 4 to achieve small particle size and high G3139 entrapment efficiency. The Tf-LPN-G3139 exhibited excellent colloidal stability during storage for at least 12 weeks and remained intact for 4 hours in nuclease-containing serum. The cellular uptake results showed extensive internalization of fluorescence-labelled G3139 in MV4-11 cells through Tf-LPN. Following transfection, Tf-LPN-G3139 at 1 µM ASO level induced 54% Bcl-2 downregulation and >20-fold apoptosis compared to no treatment. When evaluated in mice bearing human xenograft AML tumors, Tf-LPN-G3139 suppressed tumor growth by ~60% at the end of treatment period, accompanied by remarkable pharmacological effect of Bcl-2 inhibition in tumor. In conclusion, Tf-LPN-G3139 is a promising nanoparticle system for ASO G3139 delivery to AML and warrants further investigations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Lipids / administration & dosage
  • Lipids / chemistry
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / administration & dosage*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense / genetics
  • Polyethyleneimine / administration & dosage
  • Polyethyleneimine / chemistry
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • Transferrin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transferrin / genetics
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Transferrin
  • Polyethyleneimine