Delivery of shRNA using gold nanoparticle–DNA oligonucleotide conjugates as a universal carrier

Abstract

The efficient delivery of nucleic acids into mammalian cells is a central aspect of research involving cell biology and medical applications, including the clinical treatment of genetic disorders. We report an efficient small hairpin RNA (shRNA) delivery system that utilizes a single species of gold nanoparticle–DNA oligonucleotide conjugate (AuNP–DNA oligo) as a universal carrier. In vitro synthesized shRNA that is specific to the p53 gene was efficiently delivered into HEK293 and HeLa human cell lines using an AuNP–DNA oligo. The delivery resulted in an 80–90% knockdown of p53 expression. The same AuNP–DNA oligo was also efficient for the delivery of another shRNA, which is specific to the Mcl-1 gene, as well as the repression of MCL-1 expression. The knockdown efficiency of shRNA that was delivered using an AuNP–DNA oligo was comparable with that of a liposome-based shRNA delivery method. Our results offer an alternate delivery system for shRNA that can be used on any gene of interest.