A multifunctional envelope-type nano device for novel gene delivery of siRNA plasmids

A multifunctional envelope-type nano device (MEND) for use in the delivery of siRNA expression plasmids is described. The plasmid DNA encoding anti-luciferase short interfering RNA (siRNA) was condensed by poly-L-lysine (PLL) and packaged into the MEND. The silencing effect of the MEND(PLL) showed a 96% inhibition of luciferase activities in a co-transfection study. The silencing effect was maintained at more than 60%, even under the 100-fold diluted conditions. In the luciferase transformed cells, however, the MEND(PLL) showed no significant silencing effect (10%), indicating heterogeneity in transfection by the MEND(PLL). To solve this problem, the DNA condensing agents were optimized by comparing PLL, stearyl octaarginine (STR-R8) and protamine (Prot). No difference in silencing effect (95-97%) was found among these MENDs in a co-transfection study. However, the MEND(Prot) showed a 70% silencing effect in the transformed cells. These results suggest that the MEND(Prot) has less heterogeneity in transfection, while the MEND(PLL) and the MEND(STR-R8) have large heterogeneities. These results demonstrate that MEND(Prot) is a promising gene delivery system for siRNA expression plasmids with less heterogeneity associated with the transfection. (C) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.