Galactose Derivative-Modified Nanoparticles for Efficient siRNA Delivery to Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Biomacromolecules. 2018 Jun 11;19(6):2330-2339. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00358. Epub 2018 May 29.

Abstract

Successful siRNA therapy requires suitable delivery systems with targeting moieties such as small molecules, peptides, antibodies, or aptamers. Galactose (Gal) residues recognized by the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) can serve as potent targeting moieties for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. However, efficient targeting to HCC via galactose moieties rather than normal liver tissues in HCC patients remains a challenge. To achieve more efficient siRNA delivery in HCC, we synthesized various galactoside derivatives and investigated the siRNA delivery capability of nanoparticles modified with those galactoside derivatives. In this study, we assembled lipid/calcium/phosphate nanoparticles (LCP NPs) conjugated with eight types of galactoside derivatives and demonstrated that phenyl β-d-galactoside-decorated LCP NPs (L4-LCP NPs) exhibited a superior siRNA delivery into HCC cells compared to normal hepatocytes. VEGF siRNAs delivered by L4-LCP NPs downregulated VEGF expression in HCC in vitro and in vivo and led to a potent antiangiogenic effect in the tumor microenvironment of a murine orthotopic HCC model. The efficient delivery of VEGF siRNA by L4-LCP NPs that resulted in significant tumor regression indicates that phenyl galactoside could be a promising HCC-targeting ligand for therapeutic siRNA delivery to treat liver cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor / biosynthesis
  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Galactose* / chemistry
  • Galactose* / pharmacology
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles* / chemistry
  • Nanoparticles* / therapeutic use
  • Neoplasm Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering* / chemistry
  • RNA, Small Interfering* / pharmacology
  • Tumor Microenvironment / drug effects
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics

Substances

  • Asialoglycoprotein Receptor
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Galactose