Polyelectrolyte complexes of hTERT siRNA and polyethyleneimine: Effect of degree of PEG grafting on biological and cellular activity

Figures & data

Figure 1. (a) ¹H-NMR spectrum of PEG-g-PEI at a molar ratio of 0.2:1. (b) ¹H-NMR spectrum of PEG-g-PEI at a molar ratio of 1:1.

Table I. Particle size and zeta potential of polyplexes, determined by DLS. Values represented as mean ± S.D.

Polyplex	Z-average	Zeta potential
PEI/siRNA	279 + 0.632	11.8 ± 5.38
PEG-g-PEI/siRNA N = 0.2	244 + 0.345	8.6 ± 6.55
PEG-g-PEI/siRNA N = 1	114 + 0.635	− 11.8 ± 5.2

Figure 2. Ethidium bromide dye exclusion assay shows effect of N/P ratios on complex condensation at different degrees of PEG grafting.

Figure 3. Polyanion competition assay evaluated the effect of N/P ratios on stability of PECs of siRNA at different degrees of PEG grafting.

Figure 4. Transfection efficiency of polyplexes. Flow cytometry shows transfection of A549 cell line after 4 h of treatment with polyplexes at different N/P ratios and PEGylation degrees.

Figure 5. (a) Cytotoxicity of polyelectrolyte complexes alone at different degrees of PEG grafting and various concentrations on A549 cell line after 4 h of incubation. (b) Cytotoxicity of polyelectrolyte complexes alone at different degrees of PEG grafting and various concentrations on the A549 cell line after 24 h of incubation.

Figure 6. Viability assay results from the A549 cell line encountered with PECs of siRNA for 4 h. and incubated for 48 h, at different degrees of PEG grafting and N/P ratios.

Figure 7. Gene-silencing efficiency of hTERT nanoscale complexes at different degrees of PEG grafting and N/P ratio of 2.5 in the A549 cell line after 4 h of treatment and 48 h of incubation.