Abstract
In this study, zein nanofibers based siRNA delivery system has been attempted for the first time. Here, the amphiphilic property of zein and the size advantage of nanofibers have been brought together in developing an ideal delivery system for siRNA. The morphological analysis of the GAPDH-siRNA loaded zein nanofibers revealed the proper encapsulation of the siRNA in the polymeric matrix. The loading efficiency of this delivery system was found to be 58.57 ± 2.4 % (w/w). The agarose gel analysis revealed that the zein nanofibers preserved the integrity of siRNA for a longer period even at the room temperature. The in vitro release studies not only depicted the sustaining potential of the zein nanofibers but also ensured the release of sufficient quantity of siRNA required to induce the gene silencing effect. The amphiphilic property of zein supported the cell attachment and thereby facilitated the transfection of siRNA into the cells. qRT-PCR analysis confirmed the potential of the developed system in inducing the desired gene silencing effect. Thus, electrospun zein nanofibers have been successfully employed for the delivery of siRNA which has a great therapeutic potential.
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Acknowledgments
The authors K. Karthikeyan and Venkat Raghavan Krishnaswamy are extremely grateful to the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for the award of senior research fellowship. We are grateful to Dr. A. B. Mandal, Director, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute for providing the encouragement and facilities to carry out this work. This work was supported by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi under the Project “Advance Drug Delivery (ADD—CSC 0302).
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10856_2015_5439_MOESM1_ESM.tif
Fig. S1. Phase contrast microscopic images depicting the attachment and spreading of cells on zein nanofibers at lower (a) and higher magnification (b). (TIFF 363 kb)
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Karthikeyan, K., Krishnaswamy, V.R., Lakra, R. et al. Fabrication of electrospun zein nanofibers for the sustained delivery of siRNA. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 26, 101 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5439-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-015-5439-x