Delivery of siRNA to ovarian cancer cells using laser-activated carbon nanoparticles.

AIM: The RNAi-mediated knockdown of gene expression is an attractive tool for research and therapeutic purposes but its implementation is challenging. Here we report on a new method based on photoacoustic delivery of siRNA developed to address some of these challenges.

MATERIALS & METHODS: Physical properties and photoacoustic emission of carbon black (CB) particles upon near-infrared laser irradiation were characterized. Next, ovarian cancer cells Hey A8-F8 were exposed to near-infrared nanosecond laser pulses in the presence of siRNA targeting EGFR gene and CB particles. The intracellular delivery of siRNA and silencing of the target gene were determined by specific qPCR assays.

RESULTS & CONCLUSION: Laser-activated CB nanoparticles generated photoacoustic emission and enabled intracellular delivery of siRNA and significant knockdown of its target EGFR mRNA. This physical method represents a new promising approach to targeted therapeutic delivery of siRNA.