Fabrication of metformin and survivin siRNA encapsulated into polyethyleneimine-altered silk fibroin nanoparticles for the treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Metformin (MET) and survivin siRNA were delivered using silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNs) modified with polyethyleneimine (PEI). Nanoparticle functional groups, structural, stability and physicochemical characteristics of the nanoparticles were determined. SFNs loaded with siRNA that had appropriate size, zeta potential, and stability were confirmed by various analytical and spectroscopical methods. The vitro cytotoxicity analysis was performed using CNE2 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells with different compositions, and the results showed that the newly fabricated nanoparticles effectively triggered apoptosis in CNE2. Afterward, the mice analysis was used to investigate the in vivo therapeutic efficacy. With no apparent weight loss, the co-delivery systems dramatically slowed nasopharyngeal tumor development in mice. Survivin siRNA and MET increased the number of apoptotic tumor cells on histopathology slides. Apoptosis induction in cancer cells and therapeutic effectiveness were satisfactory with the drug delivery method. In this way, it might be used as a therapeutic agent in the fight against nasopharyngeal cancer.