@article {11891,
	title = {Gold Nanoparticles for BCR-ABL1 Gene Silencing: Improving Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Efficacy in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia},
	journal = {Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids},
	volume = {7},
	year = {2017},
	note = {n/a},
	pages = {408-416},
	abstract = {<p>Introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for chronic myeloid leukemia treatment is associated with a 63\% probability of maintaining a complete cytogenetic response, meaning that over 30\% patients require an alternative methodology to overcome resistance, tolerance, or side effects. Considering the potential of nanotechnology in cancer treatment and the benefits of a combined therapy with imatinib, a nanoconjugate was designed to achieve BCR-ABL1 gene silencing. Gold nanoparticles were functionalized with a single-stranded DNA oligonucleotide that selectively targets the e14a2 BCR-ABL1 transcript expressed by K562 cells. This gold (Au)-nanoconjugate showed great efficacy in gene silencing that induced a significant increase in cell death. Variation of BCL-2 and BAX protein expression, an increase of caspase-3 activity, and apoptotic bodies in cells treated with the nanoconjugate demonstrate its aptitude for inducing apoptosis on K562 BCR-ABL1-expressing cells. Moreover, the combination of the silencing Au-nanoconjugate with imatinib prompted a decrease of imatinib IC50. This Au-nanoconjugate was also capable of inducing the loss of viability of imatinib-resistant K562 cells. This strategy shows that combination of Au-nanoconjugate and imatinib make K562 cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy and that the Au-nanoconjugate alone may overcome imatinib-resistance mechanisms, thus providing an effective treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia patients who exhibit drug tolerance.</p>
},
	url = {http://www.cell.com/molecular-therapy-family/nucleic-acids/fulltext/S2162-2531(17)30173-7},
	author = {Raquel Vinhas and Alexandra Fernandes and Pedro V. Baptista}
}
