title: Synthesis and in vitro cancer cell targeting of folate-functionalized biodegradable amphiphilic dendrimer-like star polymers.
abstract: By coupling a well-defined PLLA star polymer with six carboxylic acid-terminated polyester dendrons based on 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid, a biodegradable dendrimer-like star polymer (DLSP) with multiple carboxylic acid groups at the outer surface was successfully synthesized. Conjugation of amine-functionalized folic acids (FA) onto the DLSP yielded a folate-DLSP hybrid as a carrier for targeted drug delivery. The chemical structures were proven by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and size exclusion chromatography. The DLSPs could form unimolecular micelles with a mean particle size of about 18 nm, as determined by dynamic light scattering. Flow cytometry and confocal microscope studies revealed that the cellular uptake of the folate-DLSP hybrid against KB cells (overexpressed folate-receptor) was much higher than that of the neat DLSP (without FA) due to the folate receptor-mediated binding.
authors.affiliation: Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Department of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136, United States.
authors.forename: Weiqiang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050091:Dendrimers / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008823:Micelles; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D050091:Dendrimers; D008823:Micelles; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D005492:Folic Acid