Enhancing the therapeutic effect via elimination of hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells using Bmi1 siRNA delivered by cationic cisplatin nanocapsules

An illustration of intracellular trafficking of NPC/Bmi1siR nanocapsules. After injection, NPC/Bmi1siR nanocapsules escape from blood vessel and enter to the tumor. NPC/Bmi1siR is then transported by early endosome to the late endosome. Then the cisplatin and Bmi1 siRNA are released from late endosome to the cytoplasm. Released cisplatin binds to DNA and induces apoptosis, whereas released Bmi1 siRNA inhibits Bmi1 expression and further inhibits the growth of CD133+ cancer stem cells.332