Effective tumor treatment by VEGF siRNA complexed with hydrophobic poly(amino acid)-modified polyethylenimine

Abstract

Two copolymers are designed and synthesised for siRNA delivery based on polyethylenimine by grafting hydrophilic acrylamide segments and hydrophobic poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate). The amphiphilic PEI-PBLG/siRNA complex demonstrates high gene silencing efficiency in the absence or presence of 10 vol% and 50 vol% sera in vitro. The anti-tumor effects in vivo are evaluated in luciferase-bearing mice expressing CT26 tumors. PEI-PBLG/siVEGF complex provides a higher and more sustained suppressive effect by reducing VEGF mRNA expression in the tumors, leading to higher tumor growth inhibition efficacy. Further studies on the potential use of the PEI-PBLG carrier system in mediating the silencing of genes other than VEGF or in other tumor models are recommended.

Keywords: RNA; amphiphiles; anti-tumor; gene therapy; hydrophilic polymers.