Targeting Colon Cancer Cells with Fluorescent Magnetic Nanoparticles Conjugated to Anti-epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Antibodies / 대한소화기내시경학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate targeting the epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) of colon cancer cells with fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles (FMNP) conjugated to anti-EGFR antibodies. METHODS: The expression of EGFRs was evaluated in the HT-29 colon cancer cell lines and the control H-520 lung cancer cells by performing Western blot analysis. We synthesized silica-overcoated iron oxide nanoparticles that contained rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) within a silica shell of a controllable thickness. This FMNP was conjugated to anti-EGFR mouse monoclonal antibody. The cells were treated with this probe conjugate for 4 hours and then the targeting was assessed via confocal microscopy. The fluorescence properties were evaluated for their binding to the expressed EGFRs with using a FACScan flow cytometer. RESULTS: EGFR was expressed in the HT-29 cells, as assessed by Western blot analysis. Red fluorescence was only detected in the membrane regions of the HT-29 cells on the confocal microscope imaging. On the FACS analysis, there was a significant shift of fluorescence intensity for the HT-29 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show the feasibility of targeting colon cancer cells with FMNP conjugated with anti-EGFR antibodies in vitro.