Facile synthesis of folate-conjugated magnetic/fluorescent bifunctional microspheres.

In this paper, we investigated the functional imaging properties of magnetic microspheres composed of magnetic core and CdTe quantum dots in the silica shell functionalized with folic acid (FA). The preparation procedure included the preparation of chitosan-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (CS-coated Fe3O4 NPs) prepared by a one-pot solvothermal method, the reaction between carboxylic and amino groups under activation of NHS and EDC in order to obtain the CdTe-CS-coated Fe3O4 NPs, and finally the growth of SiO2 shell vent the photoluminescence (PL) quenching via a Stöber method (Fe3O4-CdTe@SiO2). Moreover, in order to have a specific targeting capacity, the magnetic and fluorescent bifunctional microspheres were synthesized by bonding of SiO2 shell with FA molecules via amide reaction (Fe3O4-CdTe@SiO2-FA). The morphology, size, chemical components, and magnetic property of as-prepared composite nanoparticles were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, fluorescent spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The results show that the magnetic and fluorescent bifunctional microspheres have strong luminescent which will be employed for immuno-labeling and fluorescent imaging of HeLa cells.

Folate-conjugated beta-cyclodextrin-based polymeric micelles with enhanced doxorubicin antitumor efficacy.

In order to enhance the antitumor effects of doxorubicin (DOX), a novel micellar vector with high DOX loading and tumor targeting function based on folate-conjugated amphiphilic copolymer folate-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(d,l-lactide)-ß-cyclodextrin (FA-PEL-CD) was constructed. Cytotoxicity and cellular uptake experiments were performed in HeLa, KB, and A549 cell lines expressing different amounts of folate receptors in order to evaluate the targeting effect of the folate modification. The antitumor experiments performed in a KB cell-xenografted nude mouse model showed that the treatment with 10mg/kg DOX loaded FA-PEL-CD micelles achieved approximately 86% of tumor growth inhibition compared to the control. Ex vivo fluorescence imaging experiments and histological examination confirmed that folate modification can enhance the antitumorigenesis efficacy and reduce the cardiotoxicity of DOX. These results suggest that FA-PEL-CD copolymer-based micelles are promising nanocarriers for targeted doxorubicin delivery, with improved antitumor efficacy and reduced toxicity in normal tissues.

High loading of hydrophilic/hydrophobic doxorubicin into polyphosphazene polymersome for breast cancer therapy.

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers for females. Drug delivery based on cancer nanotechnology could improve the performance of some chemotherapeutic medicines already used in clinic. The emergence of polymersomes provided the potential to encapsulate hydrophobic/hydrophilic drugs. By modifying the weight ratio of methoxy-poly (ethylene glycol) (mPEG) chain to ethyl-p-aminobenzoate (EAB) side group, a series of amphiphilic graft polyphosphazenes (PEPs) was prepared. PEP can be tuned from micelles to polymersomes with the decrease of mPEG content via dialysis. Either hydrophilic doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCl) or hydrophobic doxorubicin base (DOX) could be encapsulated into PEP polymersomes with high payload and high encapsulation efficiency due to the strong intermolecular interaction with PEP. Compared with free DOX·HCl administration, in vivo investigation in growth inhibition of MCF-7 xenograft tumors in nude mice demonstrated that PEP polymersomes could enhance life safety without compromise of therapeutic efficacy, especially DOX·HCl loaded delivery system. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: In this preclinical study, polymerosomes based on PEPs were investigated as doxorubicin delivery systems, demonstrating similar efficacy but less toxicity compared to standard delivery methods.

Folate-modified poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) as hydrophilic corona in polymeric micelles for enhanced intracellular doxorubicin delivery.

The transmembrane transport of drug loaded micelles to intracellular compartment is quite crucial for efficient drug delivery. In the current study, we investigated the cellular internalization and anticancer activity of doxorubicin loaded micelles with folate modified stealthy PEOz corona. Folate-decorated micelles incorporating doxorubicin were characterized for particle size, degree of folate decoration, drug loading content and encapsulation efficiency, morphology, and surface charge. The targeting capability and cell viability were assessed using HeLa, KB, A549 and MCF-7/ADR cell lines. In vitro study clearly illustrated the folate receptor (FR) mediated targeting of FA modified micelles to FR-positive human HeLa, KB and MCF-7/ADR cells, while specific delivery to FR-negative A549 cells was not apparently increased at the same experimental conditions. Cytotoxicity assay showed 60% and 58% decrease in IC50 values for HeLa and KB cells, while only a slight decrease for A549 cells, following treatment with folate modified formulations. The enhanced intracellular delivery of FA modified micelles in MCF-7/ADR cells was also observed. In vivo antitumor tests revealed DOX entrapped FA-PEOz-PCL micelles effectively inhibited the tumor growth and reduced the toxicity to mice compared with free DOX. The current study showed that the targeted nano-vector improved cytotoxicity of DOX and suggested that this novel PEOz endowed stealthy micelle system held great promise in tumor targeted therapy.