Identification and characterization of receptor-specific peptides for siRNA delivery.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Authors:
Ren, Yin; Hauert, Sabine; Justin Lo; Sangeeta N Bhatia
Source:
ACS Nano, Volume 6, Issue 10, p.8620-31 (2012)
Keywords:
HeLa Cells, Humans, Nanocapsules, Neoplasms, Experimental, Peptide Library, Peptides, Receptors, Cell Surface, RNA, Small Interfering, Transfection
Abstract:
Tumor-targeted delivery of siRNA remains a major barrier in fully realizing the therapeutic potential of RNA interference. While cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) are promising siRNA carrier candidates, they are universal internalizers that lack cell-type specificity. Herein, we design and screen a library of tandem tumor-targeting and cell-penetrating peptides that condense siRNA into stable nanocomplexes for cell type-specific siRNA delivery. Through physiochemical and biological characterization, we identify a subset of the nanocomplex library of that are taken up by cells via endocytosis, trigger endosomal escape and unpacking of the carrier, and ultimately deliver siRNA to the cytosol in a receptor-specific fashion. To better understand the structure-activity relationships that govern receptor-specific siRNA delivery, we employ computational regression analysis and identify a set of key convergent structural properties, namely the valence of the targeting ligand and the charge of the peptide, that help transform ubiquitously internalizing cell-penetrating peptides into cell type-specific siRNA delivery systems