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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Predicting Gene Silencing Through the Spatiotemporal Control of siRNA Release from Photo-responsive Polymeric Nanocarriers
Published on: July 21, 2017
Highly efficient gene release in spatiotemporal precision approached by light and pH dual responsive copolymers
Hung-Hsun Lu1, Cheng-Hung Huang1, Ting-Yun Shiue2
1Department of Chemistry , Frontier Research Center on Fundamental and Applied Sciences of Matters , National Tsing Hua University , 101, Sec 2, Kuang-Fu Rd. , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan .
Abstract:
Triblock copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(pyrenylmethyl methacrylate) (PEG-b-PDMAEMA-b-PPy) has been developed for use as an ideal gene delivery system, which showed both high stability under physiological conditions and efficient gene release in a mimetic cancer environment. The siRNA release from this system without external stimulation was 16% in 1 h and then remained steady. However, the photo-triggered siRNA release was 78% within 1 h and was higher than 91% after 24 h. The remarkable contrast between the stability and release efficiency of these siRNA-condensed micelleplexes before and after photo-irradiation has been rationalized by the light- and pH-induced structural transitions of the triblock copolymer micelles. The negligible cytotoxicity, high cellular uptake efficiency, and remarkable knockdown efficiency shown in in vitro tests further revealed the promising potential of these triblock copolymer micelleplexes for use in stimuli-responsive gene therapy.
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