title: Cubosome formulations stabilized by a dansyl-conjugated block copolymer for possible nanomedicine applications.
abstract: We present here an innovative, fluorescent, monoolein-based cubosome dispersion. Rather than embedded within the monoolein palisade, the fluorescent imaging agent, namely dansyl, was conjugated to the terminal ethylene oxide moieties of the block copolymer Pluronic F108. We discuss the physicochemical and photophysical properties of this fluorescent Pluronic and of a cubosome formulation stabilized by a mixture of dansyl-conjugated and non-conjugated Pluronic, also including an anticancer drug (quercetin). Furthermore, we performed biocompatibility tests against HeLa cells to assess internalization and cytotoxicity features of this nanoparticles aqueous dispersion. Cryo-TEM, SAXS, and DLS analysis, proved the bicontinuous cubic inner nanostructure and the morphology of this fluorescent cubosome dispersion, while photophysical measurements and biocompatibility results basically validate their potential use for theranostic nanomedicine applications.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. Electronic address: murgias@unica.it.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murgia
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA) , Italy. Electronic address: amfalchi@unica.it.
authors.forename: Angela Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Falchi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. Electronic address: meliv@unica.it.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Center for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address: karin.schillen@fkem1.lu.se.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schillén
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. Electronic address: lippolis@unica.it.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lippolis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. Electronic address: monduzzi@unica.it.
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monduzzi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA) , Italy. Electronic address: anrosa@unica.it.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel. Electronic address: sjudy@tx.technion.ac.il.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel. Electronic address: ishi@tx.technion.ac.il.
authors.forename: Yeshayahu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Talmon
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Biofisica, CNR, U.O. Pisa, Via G Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: ranieri.bizzarri@nano.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Ranieri
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bizzarri
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Cagliari, S.S. 554 Bivio Sestu, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy. Electronic address: ccaltagirone@unica.it.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005989:Glycerides / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D050997:Nanomedicine; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010316:Particle Size; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry*; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D053838:Scattering, Small Angle; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: C496906:1-myristoyl-2-(12-((5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl)amino)dodecanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005989:Glycerides; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011108:Polymers; D020442:Poloxamer; D011794:Quercetin; C005953:monoolein
keywords: Cubosomes; Fluorophores; Monoolein; Pluronic F108; Quercetin; Theranostic nanomedicine