Design and Preparation of a Nanodevice Containing Gold Nanoparticles for Delivery and Imaging of Nucleic Acids

设计并制备了含有金纳米颗粒和siRNA（纳米器件）的PEG化纳米凝胶，用于递送核酸和癌症成像。纳米器件显示响应于细胞内环境的siRNA的有效释放，因为硫醇-Au相互作用引起siRNA-SH/Au与含硫醇的谷胱甘肽分子之间的交换反应，从而允许癌细胞中的有效RNAi活性。此外，由于纳米凝胶核心中的金纳米颗粒的大有效载荷，纳米器件还用作X射线CT造影剂。这里描述的PEG化纳米凝胶适合作为用于核酸递送和癌症成像的智能纳米装置。

A PEGylated nanogel containing gold nanoparticles and siRNAs (nanodevice) was designed and prepared for delivery of nucleic acids and imaging of cancer. The nanodevice shows efficient release of siRNAs in response to intracellular environments, because the thiol-Au interaction caused an exchange reaction between siRNA-SH/Au and thiol-containing glutathione molecules, allowing the efficient RNAi activity in cancer cells. Additionally, the nanodevice also serves as an X-ray CT contrast agent due to the large payload of gold nanoparticles in the core of nanogel. The PEGylated nanogel described here is suitable as a smart nanodevice for delivery of nucleic acids and imaging of cancer.