title: Docetaxel-Loaded Fluorescent Liquid-Crystalline Nanoparticles for Cancer Theranostics.
abstract: Here, we describe a novel monoolein-based cubosome formulation engineered for possible theranostic applications in oncology. The Docetaxel-loaded nanoparticles were stabilized in water by a mixture of commercial Pluronic (poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer) F108 (PF108) and rhodamine- and folate-conjugated PF108 so that the nanoparticles possess targeting, therapeutic, and imaging properties. Nanoparticles were investigated by DLS, cryo-TEM, and SAXS to confirm their structural features. The fluorescent emission characterization of the proposed formulation indicated that the rhodamine conjugated to the PF108 experiences an environment less polar than water (similar to chloroform), suggesting that the fluorescent fragment is buried within the poly(ethylene oxide) corona surrounding the nanoparticle. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were successfully used to image living HeLa cells and demonstrated a significant short-term (4 h incubation) cytotoxicity effect against these cancer cells. Furthermore, given their analogy as nanocarriers for molecules of pharmaceutical interest and to better stress the singularities of these bicontinuous cubic nanoparticles, we also quantitatively evaluated the differences between cubosomes and multilamellar liposomes in terms of surface area and hydrophobic volume.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Meli
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Caltagirone
authors: Angela M
authors: AM
authors: Falchi
authors: Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University , Canberra, A.C.T. 0200, Australia.
authors: Stephen T
authors: ST
authors: Hyde
authors: Vito
authors: V
authors: Lippolis
authors: Maura
authors: M
authors: Monduzzi
authors: Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University , Getingevägen 60, SE-22240 Lund, Sweden.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Obiols-Rabasa
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Rosa
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel.
authors: Judith
authors: J
authors: Schmidt
authors: Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology , Haifa 3200003, Israel.
authors: Yeshayahu
authors: Y
authors: Talmon
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Murgia
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D043823:Taxoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine / Q000379:methods*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel