Anti-EGF Receptor Aptamer-Guided Co-Delivery of Anti-Cancer siRNAs and Quantum Dots for Theranostics of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

• Published in: Theranostics 2019-01, Vol.9 (3), p.837-852
• Main Authors: Kim, Min Woo, Jeong, Hwa Yeon, Kang, Seong Jae, Jeong, In Ho, Choi, Moon Jung, You, Young Myoung, Im, Chan Su, Song, In Ho, Lee, Tae Sup, Lee, Jin Suk, Lee, Aeju, Park, Yong Serk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Aptamers, Nucleotide - metabolism; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Carriers - administration & dosage; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; Humans; Liposomes - administration & dosage; Mice; Molecular Targeted Therapy - methods; Neoplasm Transplantation; Optical Imaging - methods; Quantum Dots - administration & dosage; Research Paper; RNA, Small Interfering - administration & dosage; Theranostic Nanomedicine - methods; Transplantation, Heterologous; Treatment Outcome; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy
• ISSN: 1838-7640; 1838-7640
• DOI: 10.7150/thno.30228

Many aptamers have been evaluated for their ability as drug delivery vehicles to target ligands, and a variety of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have been tested for their anti-cancer properties. However, since these two types of molecules have similar physicochemical properties, it has so far been difficult to formulate siRNA-encapsulating carriers guided by aptamers. Here, we propose aptamer-coupled lipid nanocarriers encapsulating quantum dots (QDs) and siRNAs for theragnosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Hydrophobic QDs were effectively incorporated into lipid bilayers, and then therapeutic siRNAs were complexed with QD-lipid nanocarriers (QLs). Finally, anti-EGFR aptamer-lipid conjugates were inserted into the QLs for TNBC targeting (aptamo-QLs). TNBC-targeting aptamo-QLs were directly compared to anti-EGFR antibody-coupled immuno-QLs. The delivery of therapeutic siRNAs and QDs to target cells was assessed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. The targeting of siRNAs to tumors and their therapeutic efficacy were evaluated in mice carrying MDA-MB-231 tumors. Both types of EGFR-targeting QLs showed enhanced delivery to target cancer cells, resulting in more effective gene silencing and enhanced tumor imaging compared to non-targeting control QLs. Moreover, combinatorial therapy with Bcl-2 and PKC-ι siRNAs loaded into the anti-EGFR QLs was remarkably effective in inhibiting tumor growth and metastasis. In general, the aptamo-QLs showed competitive delivery and therapeutic efficacy compared to immuno-QLs under the same experimental conditions. Our results show that the anti-EGFR aptamer-guided lipid carriers may be a potential theranostic delivery vehicle for RNA interference and fluorescence imaging of TNBCs.