LAUSR

AIM To study the structural requirements that a cyclooligosaccharide-based nanoparticle must fulfill to be an efficient siRNA transfection vector. MATERIALS & METHODS siRNA protection from degradation by RNAses, transfection efficiency and the thermodynamic parameters of the nanoparticle/siRNA interactions were studied on pairs of amphiphilic molecules using biochemical techniques and molecular dynamics. RESULTS The lower the siRNA solvent accessible surface area in the presence of the nanoparticle, higher the protection from RNAse-mediated degradation in the corresponding nanocomplex; a moderate nanoparticle/siRNA binding energy value further facilitates reversible complexation and binding to the target cellular mRNA. CONCLUSION The use, in advance, of these parameters will provide a useful indication of the potential of a molecular nanoparticle as siRNA transfecting vector.