A Micro/Nano Composite for Combination Treatment of Melanoma Lung Metastasis

The successful treatment of malignant disease generally requires the use of multiple therapeutic agents that are coordinated in a spatiotemporal manner to enable synergy. Here, a porous silicon-based micro/nano composite (MNC) that is capable of simultaneously delivering chemotherapeutic agents and small interfering RNA (siRNA) to the lungs following intravenous injection is designed. The pores of the silicon microparticles are loaded with B-Raf proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase (BRAF) siRNA-containing liposomes, while the surface is conjugated with docetaxel-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles. The synergistic antitumor effect of the MNC is demonstrated in vitro in melanoma cells and in vivo using a mouse model for melanoma lung metastasis. The MNC displays superior therapeutic efficacy and increased accumulation in metastatic melanoma lesions in the lungs in comparison to combination therapy with liposomes and polymers. The results indicate that the MNC can be used as an effective delivery vehicle for simultaneous enrichment of multiple therapeutic agents in the lungs.