title: Functionalized diterpene parvifloron D-loaded hybrid nanoparticles for targeted delivery in melanoma therapy.
abstract: Parvifloron D is a natural diterpene with a broad and not selective cytotoxicity toward human tumor cells. In order to develop a targeted antimelanoma drug delivery platform for Parvifloron D, hybrid nanoparticles were prepared with biopolymers and functionalized with α-melanocyte stimulating hormone. Results/methodology: Nanoparticles were produced according to a solvent displacement method and the physicochemical properties were assessed. It was shown that Parvifloron D is cytotoxic and can induce, both as free and as encapsulated drug, cell death in melanoma cells (human A375 and mouse B16V5). Parvifloron D-loaded nanoparticles showed a high encapsulation efficiency (87%) and a sustained release profile. In vitro experiments showed the nanoparticles' uptake and cell internalization.
  
  
  
  Hybrid nanoparticles appear to be a promising platform for long-term drug release, presenting the desired structure and a robust performance for targeted anticancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.|Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Spain.
authors.forename: Catarina Oliveira
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Molpeceres
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic & Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Alcalá, Spain.
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Batanero
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.|Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Sofia
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saraiva
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.|Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: João Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.|Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rijo
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology & Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal.|IBILI, Institute for Biomedical Imaging & Life Sciences, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Isabel Vitória
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Universidade Lusófona, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faísca
authors.affiliation: CBiOS, Research Center for Biosciences & Health Technologies, Universidade Lusófona, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal.|IBEB, Biophysics & Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Sciences, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Catarina Pinto
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Reis
mesh_terms: D045784:Abietanes; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D051379:Mice; D053758:Nanoparticles
chemical_list: C000603753:2-(4-hydroxy)-benzoyloxy-11-hydroxy-5,7,9(11),13-abietatetraen-12-one; D045784:Abietanes
keywords: cutaneous melanoma; hybrid nanoparticles; parvifloron D; sustained release; targeted delivery; α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone