Formulation design and evaluation of quantum dot-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers for integrating bioimaging and anticancer therapy.

Abstract

AIM:

The authors studied the bioimaging and delivery of drug-entrapped, nanostructured lipid carriers with quantum dots (QDs), called QDNLCs, for integrating imaging and therapy.

MATERIALS & METHODS:

Nanostructured lipid carriers consisting of QDs, including lipophilic QDs, carboxyl-function QDs or PEG QDs were prepared. Application of the nanocarriers was evaluated by cytotoxicity, cell migration, cellular uptake, in vivo real-time tumor monitoring and drug accumulation in tumors.

RESULTS:

All QDNLCs exhibited a size of 245 nm with camptothecin encapsulation of >99%. Cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles against melanoma cells was superior to that of free camptothecin. Carboxylic acid-conjugated QDNLCs (C-QDNLCs) showed the highest cell internalization and in vivo fluorescence labeling compared with the other carriers. Real-time bioimaging demonstrated that C-QDNLCs maintained signaling in tumors for at least 24 h. The camptothecin accumulation in melanomas increased by 6.4-fold after incorporation into C-QDNLCs.

CONCLUSION:

For the first time, nanostructured lipid carriers were coordinated with QDs and an anticancer drug to provide efficient tumor imaging and drug delivery. Original submitted 1 May 2012; Revised submitted 30 August 2012; Published online 5 February 2013.

• Authors: Shu-Hui Hsu, Chih-Jen Wen, Saleh A Al-Suwayeh, Yu-Jie Huang, Jia-You Fang
• Journal: Nanomedicine (London, England) (Nanomedicine (Lond)) Vol. 8 Issue 8 Pg. 1253-69 (Aug 2013) ISSN: 1748-6963 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 23384703 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Drug Carriers
• Lipids
• Polyethylene Glycols
• Camptothecin

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Camptothecin (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Diagnostic Imaging (methods)
• Drug Carriers (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Humans
• Lipids (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Nanostructures (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Neoplasms (diagnosis, drug therapy, pathology)
• Polyethylene Glycols (administration & dosage, chemistry)
• Quantum Dots (administration & dosage, chemistry)