High efficacy gold-KDEL peptide-siRNA nanoconstruct-mediated transfection in C2C12 myoblasts and myotubes

Fluorescence micrograph images of differentiated C2C12 myotubes (also showing residual, undifferentiated myoblasts) showing (A) lipofectamine-mediated transfection of siRNA, (B) Au-KDEL-siRNA-mediated nanoconstruct transfection. Myotubes are stained red (MHC positive, AF546), siRNA green (AF488) and nuclei blue (DAPI). Nanoconstruct-mediated transfection had higher efficacy than Lipofectamine in differentiated myotubes. This approach has potential for translation to the treatment of diseases of muscle wherein therapeutic gene regulation can improve muscle mass.582