Chondroitin sulfate-functionalized polyamidoamine-mediated miR-34a delivery for inhibiting the proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Herein, chondroitin sulfate-functionalized polyamidoamine (CS-PAMAM) was employed as a carrier in miR-34a delivery, and the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration of pancreatic cancer was systematically evaluated, using human pancreatic carcinoma cell line MiaPaCa-2 as a model. Through confocal laser scanning microscopy, an efficient cellular uptake of CS-PAMAM/miR-34a nanoparticles has been demonstrated to be executed in a CD44-dependent manner. After the successful delivery of miR-34a, the cell proliferation could be obviously inhibited due to the activation of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Meanwhile, CS-PAMAM-mediated miR-34a delivery could realize the suppression of cell migration elucidated by wound healing and transwell migration assays. Thus, the derivative CS-PAMAM could potentially be used as an effective carrier for miR-34a delivery to achieve the tumor gene therapy.