A New Delivery System for Double Stranded siRNA Oligonucleotides Based on Gelatin Nanoparticles

The selective suppression or elimination of the function of individual proteins, enabled by the mechanisms of RNA Interference, is a new promising approach in the treatment of various diseases. The minor in vitro transfection rates besides the poor in vivo stability wellknown for "naked" double stranded siRNA oligonucleotides raise the question of how to accomplish in vitro or even in vivo transfection. Due to their advantageous properties in drug delivery and drug targeting, nanoparticulate carrier systems lend themselves to an application in siRNA transfection. Thus, the aim of this study was to show that nanoparticles made of gelatin can be used as a potential drug delivery system for double stranded siRNA oligonucleotides.