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Updated: May 20, 2026
Intranasal Delivery of mRNA Polyplexes via Rayleigh Breakup Aerosols: An In Vitro Method for Nasal Deposition and Functional Testing
Published on: January 20, 2026
Screening of siRNA nanoparticles for delivery to airway epithelial cells using high-content analysis
Alan Hibbitts1, Nora Lieggi, Olive McCabe
1School of Pharmacy. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
Aims:
Delivery of siRNA to the lungs via inhalation offers a unique opportunity to develop a new treatment paradigm for a range of respiratory conditions. However, progress has been greatly hindered by safety and delivery issues. This study developed a high-throughput method for screening novel nanotechnologies for pulmonary siRNA delivery.
Methodology:
Following physicochemical analysis, the ability of PEI-PEG-siRNA nanoparticles to facilitate siRNA delivery was determined using high-content analysis (HCA) in Calu-3 cells. Results obtained from HCA were validated using confocal microscopy. Finally, cytotoxicity of the PEI-PEG-siRNA particles was analyzed by HCA using the Cellomics multiparameter cytotoxicity assay.
Conclusion:
PEI-PEG-siRNA nanoparticles facilitated increased siRNA uptake and luciferase knockdown in Calu-3 cells compared with PEI-siRNA.
