Fig. 5.

Biocompatibility of APA-siRNA polyplex. a APA alone or complexed with siRNA (50 and 200 nM) was added to freshly isolated human PBMCs that were seeded in 12-well plates. PBMCs medium and LPS (2 µg ml⁻¹) were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Culture supernatants were collected after 24 h and assayed for human IL-6 and TNF-α cytokines by ELISA. b miR (35 μM) alone or complexed with APA was incubated in FBS for several time points (0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 h) at 37 °C and was run on an electrophoresis agarose gel. c Red blood cells lysis assay following 1 h incubation with APA-miRNA polyplexes. Results are presented as percentage of hemoglobin released by 1 wt %/vol solution of Triton X-100 (100% lysis). Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dextran were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. d H&E staining of normal pancreas following 3 sequential i.v. injections of PBS or APA-miR-34a-PLK1-siRNA polyplex (2 mg kg⁻¹ oligonucleotide dose). Scale bar, 10 μm. e Blood glucose levels of normal mice treated as in d. Blood was withdrawn at days 0, 2, 7, and 9 from treatment initiation (n = 2/3). Data represent mean ± SD