SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBE–MEDIATED SMALL INTERFERING RNA DELIVERY AND SILENCING GASTRIN-RELEASING PEPTIDE RECEPTOR IN HUMAN NEUROBLASTOMA CELLS

摘要

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) has the potential to influence expression with a high degree of target gene specificity. However, the clinical application of siRNA therapeutics has proven to be less promising as evidenced by poor intracellular uptake, instability in vivo, and non-specific immune stimulations. Recently, we have demonstrated that single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-mediated siRNA delivery can enhance the efficiency of siRNA-mediated gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) gene silencing by stabilizing siRNA while selectively targeting tumor tissues. Based on our recent findings, we introduce a novel technique to silence specific gene(s) in human neuroblastoma through SWNT-mediated siRNA delivery in vitro and in vivo.