Synthesis of highly stable folic acid conjugated magnetite nanoparticles for targeting cancer cells

Abstract

A new approach towards the design of folic acid conjugated magnetic nanoparticles for enhancing their site specific intracellular uptake against a folate receptor overexpressing cancer cells is reported. Magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation from an Fe3+ and Fe2+ solution followed by surface modification with 2-carboxyethyl phosphonic acid to form carboxyl group terminated nanoparticles. Then folic acid and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) were conjugated with carboxylic acid functionalized magnetite nanoparticles using 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)-bis-ethylamine. These folate-conjugated nanoparticles were characterized in terms of their size by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Surface functional groups and surface composition were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Vibration sample magnetometry (VSM) measurements showed the superparamagnetic nature of the particles at room temperature. Folate-conjugated magnetic nanoparticles are noncytotoxic and receptor mediated internalization by HeLa and B16 melanoma F0 cancer cells was confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.

In vivo photodynamic therapy using upconversion nanoparticles as remote-controlled nanotransducers

“…We bound folic acid to the surface of the UCNs in an attempt to aid their targeting to folate receptors that are overexpressed in B16-F0 melanoma cells 24 , and the PEG component enhanced the circulatory lifetime of the UCNs so they had a greater chance of reaching the targeted tumor sites. Indeed, studies have shown that nanoparticles surface modified with folic acid and PEG preferentially localize in targeted tumor tissues compared to other main organs in the body 25 .…”

Preparation of biocompatible heat-labile enterotoxin subunit B-bovine serum albumin nanoparticles for improving tumor-targeted drug delivery via heat-labile enterotoxin subunit B mediation

“…Before reaching the target site, NPs are easily phagocytized by the reticuloendothelial system and accumulated in reticuloendothelial system-rich nontargeted organs such as liver and spleen, leading to serious side effects and lower drug concentration in the diseased organs. [12][13][14] Therefore, it is necessary to conjugate specific targeting molecules (specific of ligands, such as monoclonal antibodies) at the surface of NPs to achieve active targeting therapy by binding with specific cell surface molecules. Commonly used ligands include specific surfactant agents, folate, transferrin proteins, and polypeptides.…”

Synthesis and surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles for potential applications in sarcomas

“…Therefore, peak in 1583 cm -1 could be assigned to C=O stretching. Peaks in 2926 and 2860 cm -1 could be assigned to symmetric and asymmetric C-H (Lu et al 2012) and peak in 3381 cm -1 corresponds to O-H bonding of either adsorbed water or EG (Ahmad et al 2011;Mohapatra et al 2007;Singh et al 2011). Peaks in 879, 1044, and 1376 cm -1 could be, respectively, assigned to C-C, C-O-C stretching, and C-O-H deformation vibrations.…”