Synthesis of biomolecule-modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles for targeted hydrophobic drug delivery to cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: Synthetic methodologies integrating hydrophobic drug delivery and biomolecular targeting with mesoporous silica nanoparticles are described. Transferrin and cyclic-RGD peptides are covalently attached to the nanoparticles utilizing different techniques and provide selectivity between primary and metastatic cancer cells. The increase in cellular uptake of the targeted particles is examined using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. Transferrin-modified silica nanoparticles display enhancement in particle uptake by Panc-1 cancer cells over that of normal HFF cells. The endocytotic pathway for these particles is further investigated through plasmid transfection of the transferrin receptor into the normal HFF cell line, which results in an increase in particle endocytosis as compared to

SUBMITTER: Ferris DP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3155389 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature