siRNA Mediated Gene Silencing in the Pancreatic Cancer Capan-1 Cell Line

Today, pancreatic cancer ranks second after the cardiovascular system among the causes of death. The pancreatic cancer which is an aggressive type progressing without giving too many symptoms. In addition, factors such as difficulty in early diagnosis, rapid metastasis and non-response to traditional treatments cause a low survival rate in this type of cancer. Therefore, many studies are carried out to develop alternative diagnosis and treatment methods. Focus is put on target-oriented studies to increase the survival rate and eliminate other negative effects. The gene therapy method is at the forefront of such studies. RNA interference (RNAi) molecules are crucial in this method. From among these molecules, small non-coding RNA (siRNA) are used in studies as a therapeutic agent by its delivery to the target gene by various mechanisms. Studies are carried out with different biological and chemical agents to deliver the molecules to the target cell efficiently. 
This study aimed to silence the c-Myc gene using gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-siRNA in the Capan-1 cell line. We performed Real-Time PCR, Dual Staining and gel electrophoresis using gold nanoparticles (2X, 4X, 8X) and siRNA (25 nM) at concentrations determined in the Capan-1 cell line. The data obtained from the analysis suggested that the nanoparticle siRNA complex could be used effectively in silencing the target gene. Nevertheless, effective results could be obtained with more knowledge on this subject.