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Nano Research 2017, 10(2): 503-519 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1309-1
Research Article | Issue | Published: 07 November 2016

Highly efficient gene silencing and bioimaging based on fluorescent carbon dots in vitro and in vivo

Show Author's Information Seongchan Kim1,§,  Yuri Choi2,§,  Ginam Park3,  Cheolhee Won3,  Young-Joon Park4,  Younghoon Lee5( ),  Byeong-Su Kim2( ),  Dal-Hee Min1,3( )
Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Sciences (IBS), Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Department of Energy Engineering and Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
Institute of Nanobio Convergence Technology, Lemonex Inc., Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Worldcuplo 206, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea

§ These authors contributed equally to this work.

Keywords:
bioimaging, gene delivery, carbon dot, targeted cancer therapy, RNA interference
Cite this article:
Kim S, Choi Y, Park G, et al. Highly efficient gene silencing and bioimaging based on fluorescent carbon dots in vitro and in vivo. Nano Research, 2017, 10(2): 503-519. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1309-1
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an attractive therapeutic candidate for sequence-specific gene silencing to treat incurable diseases using small molecule drugs. However, its efficient intracellular delivery has remained a challenge. Here, we have developed a highly biocompatible fluorescent carbon dot (CD), and demonstrate a functional siRNA delivery system that induces efficient gene knockdown in vitro and in vivo. We found that CD nanoparticles (NPs) enhance the cellular uptake of siRNA, via endocytosis in tumor cells, with low cytotoxicity and unexpected immune responses. Real-time study of fluorescence imaging in live cells shows that CD NPs favorably localize in cytoplasm and successfully release siRNA within 12 h. Moreover, we demonstrate that CD NP-mediated siRNA delivery significantly silences green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression and inhibits tumor growth in a breast cancer cell xenograft mouse model of tumor-specific therapy. We have developed a multifunctional siRNA delivery vehicle enabling simultaneous bioimaging and efficient downregulation of gene expression, that shows excellent potential for gene therapy.


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Abstract
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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Highly efficient gene silencing and bioimaging based on fluorescent carbon dots in vitro and in vivo

Show Author's information Seongchan Kim1,§, Yuri Choi2,§, Ginam Park3, Cheolhee Won3, Young-Joon Park4, Younghoon Lee5( ), Byeong-Su Kim2( ), Dal-Hee Min1,3( )
Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Sciences (IBS), Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
Department of Energy Engineering and Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
Institute of Nanobio Convergence Technology, Lemonex Inc., Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
College of Pharmacy, Ajou University, Worldcuplo 206, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea
Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea

§ These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is an attractive therapeutic candidate for sequence-specific gene silencing to treat incurable diseases using small molecule drugs. However, its efficient intracellular delivery has remained a challenge. Here, we have developed a highly biocompatible fluorescent carbon dot (CD), and demonstrate a functional siRNA delivery system that induces efficient gene knockdown in vitro and in vivo. We found that CD nanoparticles (NPs) enhance the cellular uptake of siRNA, via endocytosis in tumor cells, with low cytotoxicity and unexpected immune responses. Real-time study of fluorescence imaging in live cells shows that CD NPs favorably localize in cytoplasm and successfully release siRNA within 12 h. Moreover, we demonstrate that CD NP-mediated siRNA delivery significantly silences green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression and inhibits tumor growth in a breast cancer cell xenograft mouse model of tumor-specific therapy. We have developed a multifunctional siRNA delivery vehicle enabling simultaneous bioimaging and efficient downregulation of gene expression, that shows excellent potential for gene therapy.

Keywords: bioimaging, gene delivery, carbon dot, targeted cancer therapy, RNA interference

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Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 25 July 2016
Revised: 26 September 2016
Accepted: 04 October 2016
Published: 07 November 2016
Issue date: February 2017

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program (Nos. 2011-0017356 and 2011-0020322), International S & T Cooperation Program (No. 2014K1B1A1073716) and the Research Center Program (No. IBS-R008-D1) of IBS (Institute for Basic Science) through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Korean government (MEST).

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