Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots
10:16

Production and Targeting of Monovalent Quantum Dots

Published on: October 23, 2014

Application of quantum dots as vectors in targeted survivin gene siRNA delivery

Jianjiang Zhao1, Xiaoling Qiu, Zhiping Wang

  • 1Department of Surgery, Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.

Oncotargets and Therapy
|April 17, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Quantum dots (QDs) effectively deliver survivin short interfering RNA (siRNA) to oral cancer cells, silencing gene expression. This demonstrates QDs as a promising non-viral vector for gene therapy applications.

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Nanomedicine
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Gene silencing using short interfering RNA (siRNA) is a key method for studying gene function in mammalian cells.
  • Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) presents a significant challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Developing efficient and specific non-viral gene delivery vectors is crucial for advancing gene therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate quantum dots (QDs) as non-viral vectors for delivering survivin siRNA.
  • To assess the efficiency of QDs in downregulating survivin gene expression in Tca8113 OSCC cells.
  • To investigate the cellular uptake and intracellular localization of QD-siRNA complexes.

Main Methods:

  • Preparation of water-dispersible, cationically-modified QDs complexed with anionic survivin siRNA.
  • Monitoring cellular uptake and allocation of QD-siRNA complexes using confocal laser scanning microscopy.
  • Quantifying survivin messenger RNA (mRNA) levels via real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to confirm gene silencing.

Main Results:

  • CdSe QDs exhibited high-intensity fluorescence, enabling visualization within Tca8113 cells.
  • Successful transfection of Tca8113 cells with QD-siRNA complexes was confirmed by dual fluorescence imaging.
  • Real-time PCR demonstrated a significant reduction in survivin mRNA levels, indicating successful gene silencing.

Conclusions:

  • Water-soluble CdSe QDs effectively complex with survivin siRNA, acting as efficient non-viral gene delivery vectors.
  • QD-siRNA complexes show excellent fluorescent properties and successfully downregulate survivin gene expression in OSCC cells.
  • QDs represent a novel and promising platform for non-viral gene delivery in cancer therapy.
Keywords:
Tca8113quantum dotssiRNA deliverysurvivintongue cancer cellstransfection

More Related Videos

Long-term Silencing of Intersectin-1s in Mouse Lungs by Repeated Delivery of a Specific siRNA via Cationic Liposomes. Evaluation of Knockdown Effects by Electron Microscopy15:55

Long-term Silencing of Intersectin-1s in Mouse Lungs by Repeated Delivery of a Specific siRNA via Cationic Liposomes. Evaluation of Knockdown Effects by Electron Microscopy

Published on: June 21, 2013

DNA Vector-based RNA Interference to Study Gene Function in Cancer13:10

DNA Vector-based RNA Interference to Study Gene Function in Cancer

Published on: June 4, 2012

Related Concept Videos

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...