title: Magnetic catechin-dextran conjugate as targeted therapeutic for pancreatic tumour cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Catechin-dextran conjugates have recently attracted a lot of attention due to their anticancer activity against a range of cancer cells. Magnetic nanoparticles have the ability to concentrate therapeutically important drugs due to their magnetic-spatial control and provide opportunities for targeted drug delivery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Enhancement of the anticancer efficiency of catechin-dextran conjugate by functionalisation with magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Modification of the coating shell of commercial magnetic nanoparticles (Endorem) composed of dextran with the catechin-dextran conjugate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Catechin-dextran conjugated with Endorem (Endo-Cat) increased the intracellular concentration of the drug and it induced apoptosis in 98% of pancreatic tumour cells placed under magnetic field.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The conjugation of catechin-dextran with Endorem enhances the anticancer activity of this drug and provides a new strategy for targeted drug delivery on tumour cells driven by magnetic field.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ability to spatially control the delivery of the catechin-dextran by magnetic field makes it a promising agent for further application in cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Cancer Institute Australia, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, University of New South Wales , New South Wales , Australia .
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vittorio
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voliani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faraci
authors.forename: Biswajit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karmakar
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iemma
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hampel
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kavallaris
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cirillo
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D058726:Nanoconjugates / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D058726:Nanoconjugates; D002392:Catechin
keywords: Anticancer activity; catechin; dextran; magnetic nanoparticles; polymer therapeutics