Combining Stimulus-Triggered Release and Active Targeting Strategies Improves Cytotoxicity of Cytochrome c Nanoparticles in Tumor Cells.

ABSTRACT: Proteins often possess highly specific biological activities that make them potential therapeutics, but their physical and chemical instabilities during formulation, storage, and delivery have limited their medical use. Therefore, engineering of nanosized vehicles to stabilize protein therapeutics and to allow for targeted treatment of complex diseases, such as cancer, is of considerable interest. A micelle-like nanoparticle (NP) was designed for both, tumor targeting and stimulus-triggered release of the apoptotic protein cytochrome c (Cyt c). This system is composed of a Cyt c NP stabilized by a folate-receptor targeting amphiphilic copolymer (FA-PEG-PLGA) attached to Cyt c through a redox-sensitive bond. FA-PEG-PLGA-S-S-Cyt c NPs exhibited excellent stability under extracellular physiol

SUBMITTER: Morales-Cruz M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4969193 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature