Inhibitory effect of long-circulating miR-135a-containing cationic immunoliposomes modified by anti-EGFR on gallbladder carcinoma cells

Abstract

Objective To construct the long-circulating cationic immunoliposomes modified by anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) (anti-EGFR-CILs), to evaluate the physicochemical properties and targeting ability, and explore its effect of transloading miR-135a on the invasion, metastasis and apoptosis of gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) cells. Methods The immunoliposomes loaded with miR-135a were prepared by film-dispersion and hydration-sonication methods. The morphology, particle size distribution, ζ-potential, drug entrapment efficiency, drug loading efficiency and transfection rate were detected. The effect of miR-135a on the invasion, metastasis and apoptosis of GBC cells were evaluated by Transwell assay and Annexin V/PI staining. The absorbance values (A) among different groups were compared by single factor analysis of variance and LSD-t test. Results anti-EGFR-CILs possessed excellent physicochemical properties and targeting ability. The drug entrapment efficiency and drug loading efficiency of anti-EGFR-CILs were 73.91% and 1.43%. The in vitro cell transfection rate of 86.5%. Transwell assay demonstrated that anti-EGFR-CIL-miR-135a exerted significantly higher inhibitory effect upon GBC cells compared with anti-EGFR-CIL-pWPXL (LSD-t=37.62, P<0.05). Cellular apoptosis assay revealed that miR-135a promoted the apoptosis of GBC cells and the apoptosis rate was approximately 21%. Conclusions anti-EGFR-CILs is a highly targeted and efficient gene vector. anti-EGFR-CIL-miR-135a is a potential and alternative therapy for gallbladder cancer. Key words: Gallbladder neoplasms; Receptor, epidermal growth factor; Immunity; Liposomes; miR-135a; Genes