Development and evaluation of siRNA loaded albumin carri̇er systems for inhaler applications

Until now, traditional drugs used in the treatment of cancer and viral diseases are being replaced by gene therapy. Among these, siRNA-mediated gene silencing is a promising strategy in the treatment of diseases such as cancer. An efficient delivery system is required for the stable delivery and cellular uptake of this genetic material to be used for silencing the specific gene. Albumin is highly water soluble, toxic and non-immunogenic, biocompatible and biodegradable. In recent years, Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) has been investigated as a new gene delivery system. Inhalation treatment method goes back to ancient times. This method is a step of parenteral treatment. In local inhalation administration, small amounts of liquid drug rapidly diffuse into the lung epithelium and penetrate the bloodstream. The effect starts immediately because the drug is not involved in the systemic circulation and reaches the lungs directly. The aim of this study was to load siRNA into albumin nanoparticles and to develop systems for inhaler application. For this purpose, in vitro characterization studies of the developed albumin based gene delivery system were performed. According to the results, applicability of this system as an inhaler for lung cancer was evaluated. Keywords: Albumin nanoparticle, siRNA, Antisense Technology, Cancer, gene carrier system