Theeraphong Pho-iamPrimana PunnakitikashemChayapol SomboonyosdechSirinapa SripinitchaiPatarabutr MasaratanaVorapan SirivatanauksornYongyut SirivatanauksornChamaiphorn WongwanKytai T. NguyenChatchawan SrisawatSiriraj HospitalThe University of Texas at ArlingtonResearch Network NANOTEC-MU in Theranostic Nanomedicine2022-08-042022-08-042021-05-14Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Vol.553, (2021), 191-197109021040006291X2-s2.0-85103100814https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/76180Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and is a leading cause of death. Delivery of therapeutic molecules, e.g., siRNA, to HCC cells could potentially be an alternative treatment for HCC. In this study, the siRNA targeting α-fetoprotein (AFP) mRNA was found to specifically induce apoptosis and significant cell death in HepG2 cells. It also enhanced the cytotoxic effects of doxorubicin by about two-fold, making it the candidate therapeutic molecule for HCC treatment. To deliver the siRNAs into HCC cells, the AFP siRNAs were loaded into the nanoparticles based on poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA). These nanoparticles induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells and synergistically increased the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. In summary, the delivery of the AFP siRNA-loaded PLGA nanoparticles in combination with doxorubicin could be a very promising approach for the treatment of HCC.Mahidol UniversityBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular BiologyArticleSCOPUS10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.03.086