Combined small interfering RNA therapy and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging in islet transplantation.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Recent advances in human islet transplantation are hampered by significant graft loss shortly after transplantation and inability to follow islet fate directly. Both issues were addressed by utilizing a dual-purpose therapy/imaging small interfering RNA (siRNA)-nanoparticle probe targeting apoptotic-related gene caspase-3. We expect that treatment with the probe would result in significantly better survival of transplanted islets, which could be monitored by in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Research design and methods

We synthesized a probe consisting of therapeutic (siRNA to human caspase-3) and imaging (magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, MN) moieties. In vitro testing of the probe included serum starvation of the islets followed by treatment with the pro

SUBMITTER: Wang P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3028356 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature