title: Intestinal absorption of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles.
abstract: Characterization of intestinal absorption of nanoparticles is critical in the design of noninvasive anticancer, protein-based, and gene nanoparticle-based therapeutics. Here we demonstrate a general approach for the characterization of the intestinal absorption of nanoparticles and for understanding the mechanisms active in their processing within healthy intestinal cells. It is generally accepted that the cellular processing represents a major drawback of current nanoparticle-based therapeutic systems. In particular, endolysosomal trafficking causes degradation of therapeutic molecules such as proteins, lipids, acid-sensitive anticancer drugs, and genes. To date, investigations into nanoparticle processing within intestinal cells have studied mass transport through Caco-2 cells or everted rat intestinal sac models. We developed an approach to visualize directly the mechanisms of nanoparticle processing within intestinal tissue. These results clearly identify a mechanism by which healthy intestinal cells process nanoparticles and point to the possible use of this approach in the design of noninvasive nanoparticle-based therapies.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Advances in nanomedicine have resulted in the development of new therapies for various diseases. Intestinal route of administration remains the easiest and most natural. The authors here designed experiments to explore and characterize the process of nanoparticle transport across the intestinal tissue. In so doing, further insights were gained for future drug design.
authors: Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes SA, Australia.
authors: Spomenka
authors: S
authors: Simovic
authors: Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, City East Campus, Reid Building, Adelaide SA, Australia.
authors: Yunmei
authors: Y
authors: Song
authors: Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes SA, Australia.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Nann
authors: Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco CA, USA. Electronic address: Tejal.desai@ucsf.edu.
authors: Tejal A
authors: TA
authors: Desai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004705:Endocytosis; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000378:metabolism; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes
keywords: Cancer; Endocytosis; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology