title: Surface modification of monodisperse magnetite nanoparticles for improved intracellular uptake to breast cancer cells.
abstract: Nanoparticles have been widely used for a variety of biomedical applications and there is a growing need for highly specific and efficient uptake of the nanoparticles into target cells. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), folic acid (FA), and their conjugate PEG-FA were attached to magnetite nanoparticles to compare their effects on the improvement of intracellular uptake of the nanoparticles to human breast cancer cells, BT-20. AFM and TEM results indicated that the nanoparticles after surface modification were monodisperse, with coatings on individual nanoparticles. The cell culture experiments showed that the PEG-FA coated nanoparticles were internalized into BT-20 cancer cells and exhibited higher efficiency of intracellular uptake than only PEG- or FA-coated nanoparticles. The surface modification protocols can also be used to modify the surfaces of other nanoparticles for targeting intracellular delivery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117576 Singapore. biezy@nus.edu.sg
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D005260:Female; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D005492:Folic Acid; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide