Plasmid
DNA based gene delivery has been widely utilized among both pre-clinical and clinical gene therapy studies. However, therapeutic efficiency is usually limited by the size and potential immune-stimulation issue of plasmid backbone. As an alternative form of genetic material, chemically modified
messenger RNA (
mRNA) provides a promising alternative to plasmid
DNA. In this work, an in vitro transcription
mRNA encoding
vesicular stomatitis virus matrix
protein (VSVMP) was delivered by a cationic
liposome-
protamine complex, resulting in high
mRNA transporting and expression efficiency. The
liposome-
protamine complex delivered VSVMP
mRNA strongly inhibits the growth of C26
tumor cells through inducing apoptosis, while obvious
tumor regressions were achieved on both abdominal cavity metastatic and subcutaneous xenograft models in vivo with high safety. Our results also demonstrated that the
liposome-
protamine-
mRNA complex was as potent as its plasmid
DNA counterpart, showing strong potential in further
colon cancer therapy.