FRET imaging of cells transfected with siRNA/liposome complexes

By monitoring the efficiency of fluorescence resonance energy transfer of dyes attached to the different strands of siRNA, the structural integrity of the latter can be traced inside cells. Here, the experimental details of dye-labeled siRNA construction, tissue culture, and transfection with liposomally formulated siRNAs are given, as well as the conditions for confocal microscopy and an algorithm allowing the visualization of intact siRNA after image data treatment. The method allows rapid screening of different liposomal siRNA formulations, obtained by small scale dual asymmetric centrifugation with high entrapping efficiency.