Silk Fibroin Nanoparticle Functionalization with Arg-Gly-Asp Cyclopentapeptide Promotes Active Targeting for Tumor Site-Specific Delivery.
Elia BariMassimo SerraMayra PaolilloEric BernardiSara TengattiniFilippo PiccininiCristina LanniMarzio SorliniGiovanni BisbanoEnrica CalleriMaria Luisa TorreSara PerteghellaPublished in: Cancers (2021)
Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-based cyclopentapeptides (cRGDs) have a high affinity towards integrin αvβ3 and αvβ5, which are overexpressed by many tumor cells. Here, curcumin-loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNs) have been functionalized on the surface with cRGD to provide active targeting towards tumor cells; a "click reaction" between the RGD-based cyclopentapeptide carrying an azide group and triple-bond-functionalized nanoparticles has been exploited. Both naked and functionalized SFNs were less than 200 nm in diameter and showed a round-shaped morphology but, after functionalization, SFNs increased in size and protein molecular weight. The functionalization of SFNs' surfaces with cRGD provided active internalization by cells overexpressing integrin receptors. At the lowest concentration tested (0.01 mg/mL), functionalized SFNs showed more effective uptake with respect to the naked by tumor cells that overexpress integrin receptors (but not for non-overexpressing ones). In contrast, at higher concentrations, the non-specific cell membrane protein-particle interactions are promoted and coupled to specific and target mediated uptake. Visual observations by fluorescence microscopy suggested that SFNs bind to integrin receptors on the cell surface and are then internalized by endocytosis. Overall, SFN functionalization provided in vitro active targeting for site-specific delivery of anticancer drugs, boosting activity and sparing healthy organs.
Keyphrases
- cancer therapy
- quantum dots
- tissue engineering
- cell surface
- cell adhesion
- magnetic resonance
- drug delivery
- molecularly imprinted
- induced apoptosis
- wound healing
- cell migration
- single cell
- stem cells
- cell cycle arrest
- magnetic resonance imaging
- cell therapy
- high throughput
- photodynamic therapy
- optical coherence tomography
- cell death
- robot assisted
- cell proliferation
- mesenchymal stem cells
- small molecule
- cystic fibrosis
- staphylococcus aureus
- bone marrow
- pseudomonas aeruginosa
- walled carbon nanotubes
- simultaneous determination
- contrast enhanced
- candida albicans
- label free