In vivo real-time confocal microscopy for target-specific delivery of hyaluronic acid-quantum dot conjugates.
Hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and linear polysaccharide in the body, has been widely used for various biomedical applications. In this work, real-time bioimaging for target-specific delivery of HA derivatives was carried out using quantum dots (QDs). In vitro confocal microscopy of HA-QD conjugates confirmed the intracellular delivery of HA derivatives to B16F1 cells with HA receptors by HA-receptor-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore in vivo real-time confocal microscopy of HA-QD conjugates successfully visualized the target specific delivery and accumulation of HA-QD conjugates from the fluorescence-labeled blood vessels to the liver tissues. The authors could confirm the feasibility of HA derivatives as a target-specific intracellular drug-delivery carrier for the treatment of liver diseases and the in vivo real-time confocal microscopy as a new bioimaging tool for various drug-delivery applications.


BACKGROUND
This study demonstrates the possibility of labeling hyaluronic acid with quantum dots for visualization and for targeted intracellular drug delivery in liver disease models.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology Pohang, Republic of Korea.
Ki Su
KS
Kim
Seonghoon
S
Kim
Songeun
S
Beack
Jeong-A
JA
Yang
Seok Hyun
SH
Yun
Sei Kwang
SK
Hahn
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000032:analysis*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004705:Endocytosis; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008958:Models, Molecular; D045663:Quantum Dots
D004337:Drug Carriers; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid