PH-Sensitive Folic Acid Conjugated Alginate Nanoparticle for Induction of Cancer-Specific Fluorescence Imaging.

ABSTRACT: In cancer nanomedicine, numerous studies have been conducted on the surface modification and transport capacity of nanoparticles (NPs); however, biological barriers, such as enzymatic degradation or non-specific delivery during circulation, remain to be cleared. Herein, we developed pH-sensitive NPs that degrade in an acidic environment and release 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) to the target site. NPs were prepared by conjugating alginate with folic acid, followed by encapsulation of 5ALA through a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion method. The alginate-conjugated folic acid nanoparticles (AF NPs) were homogeneous in size, stable for a long time in aqueous suspension without aggregation, and non-toxic. AF NPs were small enough to efficiently infiltrate tumors (<50 nm) and were specifically interna

SUBMITTER: Lee S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7355973 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature