Efficient Pro-survival/angiogenic miRNA Delivery by an MRI-Detectable Nanomaterial

Herein, we report the use of biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) containing perfluoro-1,5-crown ether (PFCE), a fluorine-based compound (NP170-PFCE) with the capacity to track cells <i>in vivo</i> by magnetic ressonance imaging (MRI) and efficiently release miRNA. NP170-PFCE complexed with miRNAs accumulate whitin the cell’s endolysosomal compartment and interact with higher frequency with argonaute2 (Ago2) and GW182 proteins, which are involved in the biological action of miRNAs, than commercial complexes formed by commercial reagents and miRNA, which in turn accumulate in the cell cytoplasm. The release of miRNA132 (miR132) from the NPs increased 3-fold the survival of endothelial cells (ECs) transplanted <i>in vivo</i> and 3.5-fold the blood perfusion in ischemic limbs relatively to control