Polycationic nanoparticles for siRNA delivery: comparing ARGET ATRP and UV-initiated formulations

In this work, we develop and evaluate polycationic nanoparticles for the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA). Delivery remains a major challenge for translating siRNA to the clinic, and overcoming the delivery challenge requires effective siRNA delivery vehicles that meet the demands of the specific delivery strategy. Cross-linked polycationic nanoparticle formulations were synthesized using ARGET ATRP or UV-initiated polymerization. The one-step, one-pot, surfactant-stabilized monomer-in-water synthesis technique may provide a simpler and faster alternative to complicated, multistep techniques and an alternative to methods that rely on toxic organic solvents. The polymer nanoparticles were synthesized using the cationic monomer 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, the hydrophobic monomer tert-butyl methacrylate to tune pH responsiveness, the hydrophilic monomer poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate to improve biocompatibility, and cross-linking agent tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate to enhance colloidal stability. Four formulations were evaluated for their suitability as siRNA delivery vehicles in vitro with the human embryonic kidney cell line HEK293T or the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7. The polycationic nanoparticles demonstrated efficient and rapid loading of the anionic siRNA following complexation. Confocal microscopy as well as flow cytometry analysis of cells treated with polycationic nanoparticles loaded with fluorescently labeled siRNA demonstrated that the polycationic nanoparticles promoted cellular uptake of fluorescently labeled siRNA. Knockdown experiments using polycationic nanoparticles to deliver siRNA demonstrated evidence of knockdown, thus demonstrating potential as an alternative route to creating polycationic nanoparticles.