Active targeting via ligand-anchored pH-responsive strontium nanoparticles for efficient nucleic acid delivery into breast cancer cells

Abstract Purpose Gene therapy is a promising and novel therapeutic strategy for many mutated gene-associated diseases, including breast cancer. However, it poses significant biological drawbacks such as rapid clearance from the circulatory system low cellular uptake of exogenously delivered functional nucleic acids. The development efficient biocompatible carriers genetic materials has been extensively explored in literature, functionalization nanoparticles (NPs) with cancer cell-recognizing ligands become an attractive approach to promote tumor targetability internalization via endocytosis. Methods This study introduced self-assembling targeting ligands, transferrin fibronectin ability electrostatically interact strontium (SNPs), then analyzed their influence on size zeta potential resultant hybrid SNPs, expression efficiency transgene-loaded NPs. Results Smaller ligand-coated SNPs (LCSNPs) remarkably increased gene transfection activity both MCF-7 4T1 cells well acid localization into tissues improved regression 4T1-tumor xenograft mouse model. Conclusion LCSNPs-mediated delivery p53 MAPK siRNA provided proof-of-concept functionalized nanocarrier formulation order inhibit cell growth.