Active targeted delivery of nanoparticle-encapsulated agents to
tumor cells in vivo is expected to enhance
therapeutic effect with significantly less non-specific toxicity. Active targeting is based on surface modification of nanoparticles with
ligands that bind with extracellular targets and enhance payload delivery in the cells. In this study, we have used label-free Raman micro-spectral analysis and kinetic modeling to study cellular interactions and intracellular delivery of
C6-ceramide using a non-targeted and an
epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted biodegradable polymeric
nano-delivery systems, in EGFR-expressing human ovarian
adenocarcinoma (SKOV3) cells. The results show that EGFR
peptide-modified nanoparticles were rapidly internalized in SKOV3 cells leading to significant intracellular accumulation as compared to non-specific uptake by the non-targeted nanoparticles. Raman micro-spectral analysis enables visualization and quantification of the carrier system,
drug-load, and responses of the
biological systems interrogated, without exogenous staining and labeling procedures.