Authors:

Hayden Schneider

Date Created:

Not specified

Course Title:

Professor:

Not specified

About Paper:

RNA delivery requires a carrier to be safely transported to a target cell. In order to aid RNA transport, non-viral methods have been developed. This type of delivery does not suffer from a robust immune response, but current methods lack cell targeting and thus require a larger dose for effective delivery. They also face problems due to the cost of materials and their nonrenewable sourcing. The Thompson Group aims to create a non-viral RNA delivery approach having increased targeting abilities, stability, bio-renewability, and lower cost. Using this delivery system, known as layer-by-layer elastin-like polypeptide nucleic acid nanoparticles (LENN), the RNA can be safely encapsulated in a multilayer package. These LENN can be made with agents that target cancer cells. The innermost layer of our nanoparticle interacts with the RNA using beta-cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligomer of the natural sugar glucose; beta-cyclodextrin is generally regarded as safe and is found in many FDA approved drug formulations. The beta-cyclodextrin precursor is linked to a polyarginine chain to create a cationic cyclodextrin derivative that can electrostatically interact with negatively charged RNA. These charged derivatives will then be used to encapsulate RNA and used in LENN formulations. The purity of the cyclodextrin derivates are determined using mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear mass resonance (NMR). Utilizing NMR, evidence for the formation of a pure beta- cyclodextrin-polyarginine derivative has been obtained. This research will enable the development of low cost, low toxicity, and renewably sourced non-viral RNA carriers with targeting capabilities in order to treat cancer and other human diseases. Keywords: Biochemistry; Chemistry; Cancer Research

Source:

Purdue University / 2025

Topics:

No topics listed

Co-authors:

Hayden Schneider