PEI-PEG-Coated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Enhance the Antitumor Activity of Tanshinone IIA and Serve as a Gene Transfer Vector

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of the preparation of MSN-PEG nanoparticles and their delivery. (a) Schematic of MSN-TanIIA-PEG preparation. (b) Schematic of MSN-PEG/shRNA preparation. (c) Schematic illustration of the proposed delivery of TanIIA and GPC3-shRNA transfected by MSN-PEG for a synergistic effect in vitro. The MSN-TanIIA-PEG and MSN-PEG/GPC3-shRNA nanocomplexes accumulate in the tumor via the EPR effect followed by cellular uptake by endocytosis. TanIIA and GPC3-shRNA are released from the nanocomplexes into the cytoplasm. Then, TanIIA enters into the nucleus, and GPC3-shRNA breaks into siRNAs and siRNA targets to degrade GPC3 mRNA under the assistance of siRISC. Abbreviations: EPR: enhanced permeability and retention, RISC: RNA-induced silencing complex.

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