Abstract
Background
Mammary carcinogenesis possesses great challenges due to the lack of effectiveness of the multiple therapeutic options available. Gene therapy-based cancer treatment strategy provides more targeting accuracy, fewer side effects, and higher therapeutic efficiency. Downregulation of the oncogene mTOR by mTOR-siRNA is an encouraging approach to reduce cancer progression. However, its employment as means of therapeutic strategy has been restricted due to the unavailability of a suitable delivery system.
Methods
A suitable nanocarrier system made up of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) has been developed to prevent degradation and for proficient delivery of siRNA. This was followed by in vitro and in vivo anti-breast cancer efficiency analysis of the mTOR siRNA-loaded neutral liposomal formulation (NL-mTOR-siRNA).
Results
In our experiment, a profound reduction in MCF-7 cell growth, proliferation and invasion was ascertained following extensive downregulation of mTOR expression. NL-mTOR-siRNA suppressed tumour growth and restored morphological alterations of DMBA-induced breast cancer. In addition, neutral liposome enhanced accumulation of siRNA in mammary cancer tissues facilitating its deep cytosolic distribution within the tumour, which allows apoptosis thereby facilitating its anti-tumour potential.
Conclusion
Hence, the current study highlighted the augmented ground for therapies aiming toward cancerous cells to diminish mTOR expression by RNAi in managing mammary carcinoma.
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Acknowledgements
We acknowledge the support provided by the Central Instrumentation facility (CIF), Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi and HR-TEM facility of Vellore Institute of Technology in the characterisation of liposomal preparation.
Funding
This study was supported by Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, India. This work has been funded by UGC (201819-NFO-2018-19-OBC-ORI-80495).
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RS and SPP conducted the experiments and wrote the manuscript with equal contribution. SPP and RS was responsible for confocal microscopy, Western blot, immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. RS and SJ took part in the in vivo experiments. SJ analysed the data and revised the manuscript. SPP designed the research plan, analysed the data and revised the manuscript. All authors have approved the manuscript.
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This animal study was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi (approval no. 1972/PH/BIT/113/20/IAEC). All animal experiments were conducted in accordance with the Institutional Animal Ethical Committee (IAEC) regulation. This study did not include patient participation or analysis of patient data.
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Sahu, R., Jha, S. & Pattanayak, S.P. Therapeutic silencing of mTOR by systemically administered siRNA-loaded neutral liposomal nanoparticles inhibits DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis. Br J Cancer 127, 2207–2219 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-022-02011-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-022-02011-1