Correlative Fluorescent Scanning Probe Nanotomography Used to Study the Intracellular Distribution of Doxorubicin in MCF-7 Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Developing technologies for efficient targeted drug delivery for oncotherapy requires new methods to analyze the features of micro- and nanoscale distributions of antitumor drugs in cells and tissues. A new approach to three-dimensional analysis of the intracellular distribution of cytostatics was developed using fluorescence scanning optical-probe nanotomography. A correlative analysis of the nanostructure and distribution of injected doxorubicin in MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells revealed the features of drug penetration and accumulation in the cell. The technology is based on the principles of scanning optical probe nanotomography and is applicable to studying the distribution patterns of various fluorescent or fluorescence-labelled substances in cells and tissues.

Effect of lipopeptide structure on gene delivery system properties: Evaluation in 2D and 3D in vitro models.

Development of efficient biodegradable, environmentally responsive, biocompatible and non-toxic delivery system is needed for efficient gene delivery. As well known, properties of the vehicle are determined by the structure of carrier components. The aim of the current study was to estimate in vitro transfection efficacy of aliphatic di-, tri- and tetrapeptide-based cationic lipoplexes loaded with siRNA in function of a number of cationic groups using 2D (monolayer culture) and 3D (multicellular tumor spheroids) in vitro models. Physicochemical properties and cytotoxicity of the liposomes were found to be dependent upon a number of amino acid derivatives in an amphiphilic polar head. Uptake of liposomes loaded with nucleic acid (lipoplexes) and their localization in HEK293T cells was studied by confocal microscopy. The liposomes based on lipotripeptides had the highest transfection efficiency which was 20-fold higher than those fabricated from lipotetrapeptides.