Yukio Nagasaki on Using siRNA to Improve Drug Efficiency
Fast Moving Front Commentary, September 2010
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Article: Lactosylated poly(ethylene glycol)-siRNA conjugate through acid-labile ss-thiopropionate linkage to construct pH-sensitive polyion complex micelles achieving enhanced gene silencing in hepatoma cells
Authors: Oishi, M;Nagasaki, Y;Itaka,
K;Nishiyama, N;Kataoka, K |
Yukio Nagasaki talks with ScienceWatch.com and answers a few questions about this month's Fast Moving Fronts paper in the field of Chemistry.
Why do you think your paper is highly
cited?
It is quite important deliver low-molecular-weight oligonucleotides, especially siRNA, in order to improve drug efficiency. Because the material we prepared gives site-specific siRNA function, this system is much more effective than other works related to siRNA delivery systems.
Does it describe a new discovery, methodology, or
synthesis of knowledge?
PEG-siRNA conjugate is reported by our group and acid labile linkage between PEG and siRNA is a unique idea to control siRNA trafficking in cells.
Would you summarize the significance of your paper
in layman’s terms?
"We succeeded to prepare siRNA carrying system and found the siRNA used in this study was delivered to the area, where we want."
In order to use oligonucleotides as a therapeutic drug, it is important to deliver siRNA to a specific area in cells. We succeeded in preparing siRNA carrying system and found the siRNA used in this study was delivered to the area we wanted. This is one of the starting points of development in high-performance gene-delivery systems.
How did you become involved in this research, and
how would you describe the particular challenges, setbacks, and
successes that you've encountered along the way?
I was a polymer chemist and we wanted to use new polymers, which we prepared, that could be utilized in a biological environment. Biocompatible surfaces, carrier for drug delivery system, and bioimaging materials have been developed so far. Since it is really difficult to deliver low-molecular-weight oligonucleotides in vivo and in vitro, we started to prepare this compound using our synthetic skills.
Where do you see your research leading in the
future?
I have no idea. I am a professor of University of Tsukuba. It is fairly good position. I have now started collaboration with good scientists in the world, such as at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, and I want to extend this kind of network.
Do you foresee any social or political
implications for your research?
I think that it is important to improve gene therapy. However, it is not
easy to develop this kind of work because we need huge money to establish
it. Thus, governments or large organizations must be supportive of this
kind of research in the future.
Yukio Nagasaki, Ph.D., Professor
Graduate School of Pure and
Applied Sciences
University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba Research Center for
Interdisciplinary Materials Science (TIMS)
Master's School of Medical Sciences
Graduate School of Comprehensive
Human Sciences
University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Project Leader
Center for Tsukuba Advanced Research Alliance (TARA)
University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
Principal Investigator
International Center for
Materials Nanoarchitechtonics
National Institute for Materials Science
Tsukuba, Japan
Adjunct Professor of Polyscale Technology Center
Research Institute for Science and Technology
Tokyo University of
Science
Noda, Japan
Chairperson
International Conference in Biomaterials Science at Tsukuba
(ICBS2011)
In honor of 60th birthday of Professor Kazunori
Kataoka
March 15 (Tue) - 18 (Fri), 2011, Tsukuba, Japan
KEYWORDS: LACTOSYLATED POLY(ETHYLENE GLYCOL)-SIRNA CONJUGATE, ACID-LABILE SS-THIOPROPIONATE LINKAGE, PH-SENSITIVE POLYION COMPLEX MICELLES, GENE SILENCING, HEPATOMA CELLS, ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDE, MAMMALIAN CELLS, PLASMID DNA, DELIVERY, COPOLYMERS, SYSTEM.