Intracellular delivery of VIP-grafted sterically stabilized phospholipid mixed nanomicelles in human breast cancer cells.
The purpose of this study was to determine whether biocompatible and biodegradable vasoactive intestinal peptide-grafted sterically stabilized phospholipid mixed nanomicelles (VIP-SSMM; size, approximately 15 nm), a novel nanosized actively targeted drug delivery platform for breast cancer, accumulate in human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Using hydrophobic CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QD), we found that QD-loaded VIP-SSMM accumulated significantly faster and in greater quantity in MCF-7 cells than did QD-loaded SSMM alone (p<0.05). This process was mediated, in part, by VIP receptors because excess human VIP, but not PACAP(6-38) or galanin, significantly attenuated this response (p<0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that VIP-SSMM are actively targeted to human breast cancer cells through VIP receptors. We suggest that VIP-SSMM could be used as an actively targeted nanosized drug delivery platform for breast cancer cells over-expressing VIP receptors.
Rubinstein
Israel
I
Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Soos
Imre
I
Onyuksel
Hayat
H
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D008823:Micelles; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D008823:Micelles; D010743:Phospholipids; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide