other Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Pharmaceutical Biotechnology مقاله کامل Full Length/Original Article <strong>Background:</strong> Targeted co-delivery of siRNA and a chemotherapeutic drug is an attractive approach to cancer drug design and treatment. This study was carried out to design an anti-Mucin1 aptamer (Apt)-conjugated chitosan nanoparticle (NP) for targeted co-delivery of insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF-1R) Silencer siRNA and docetaxel (DTX) to SKBR3 cells. <strong>Methods:</strong> Characterization of nano-drugs, cellular uptake of NPs, cell viability, and gene expression studies were evaluated based on metastatic breast cancer cells. <strong>Results:</strong> The results of this study showed that NPs had spherical and smooth morphology with 110-118 nm in size and had positive zeta potential (12-14 mV). siRNA and DTX were considerably loaded into NPs. The appropriate conjugation of the Apt to the NPs was affirmed by gel electrophoresis. The Apt-conjugated NPs were observed to enhance the cellular uptake of NPs into the SKBR3 cells. Although the combination treatment significantly decreased the cell viability of SKBR3 cells, the augmentative effect was observed when Apt was conjugated to NPs. Furthermore, Apt-conjugated NPs dramatically reduced the genetic expression of IGF-1R, signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP9), and vascular growth factor (VEGF). <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The targeted NPs may augment the targeting of pathways involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis of breast cancer. Therefore, more animal model experiments are needed to further clarify the efficacy and safety of this functionalized nanodrug. Breast cancer therapy, Chitosan nanoparticles, Docetaxel, IGF-1R siRNA, MUC1 aptamer 21 33 http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-740&slc_lang=other&sid=1 Reza Jafari No Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Naime Majidi Zolbanin 0000-0001-7286-5319 No Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Jafar Majidi No Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Fatemeh Atyabi 0000-0002-9421-8750 No Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mehdi Yousefi 0000-0003-0099-6728 No Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Farhad Jadidi-Niaragh 0000-0002-4641-882X No Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Leili Aghebati-Maleki 0000-0002-0044-5961 No Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Dariush Shanehbandi 0000-0002-9449-0607 No Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Mohammad-Sadegh Soltani Zangbar No Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Houshang Rafatpanah 0000-0002-1061-5864 Yes Immunology Research Center, Division of Inflammation and Inflammatory Diseases, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran