title: A Telomerase-Specific Doxorubicin-Releasing Molecular Beacon for Cancer Theranostics.
abstract: A molecular beacon-based drug delivery system was designed for both detection of telomerase activity in living cells and telomerase-triggered drug release for precise cancer treatment. This system is composed of a gold nanoparticle core densely packed with FITC-labeled hairpin DNA sequences hybridized with telomerase primers. Molecules of the anticancer drug doxorubicin were intercalated into the stem region of the DNA sequence. The presence of telomerase will elongate the primers, leading to inner chain substitution followed by the release of the FITC fluorescence and the trapped doxorubicin. This molecular beacon could specifically distinguish tumor cells and normal cells based on telomerase activity, precisely release doxorubicin in response to telomerase activity in the tumor cells, and prevent toxicity to normal organs.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Ma
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Zhaohui
authors: Z
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Zhihao
authors: Z
authors: Han
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Qiuyun
authors: Q
authors: Zhu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China.
authors: Weidong
authors: W
authors: Gao
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Automation, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 29 Yudao Street, Nanjing, 210016, China.
authors: Zhiyu
authors: Z
authors: Qian
authors: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia Road, Nanjing, 210009, China. guyueqingsubmission@hotmail.com.
authors: Yueqing
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1315-4618
authors: Y
authors: Gu
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002460:Cell Line; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068936:Theranostic Nanomedicine
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004317:Doxorubicin; D019098:Telomerase
keywords: drug delivery; molecular beacons; nanoparticles; telomerase; theranostics