title: Folic acid-conjugated amphiphilic alternating copolymer as a new active tumor targeting drug delivery platform.
abstract: Targeted drug delivery using polymeric nanostructures is an emerging cancer research area, engineered for safer, more efficient, and effective use of chemotherapeutic drugs. A pH-responsive, active targeting delivery system was designed using folic acid functionalized amphiphilic alternating copolymer poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (FA-DABA-SMA) via a biodegradable linker 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DABA). The polymeric template is pH responsive, forming amphiphilic nanostructures at pH 7, allowing the encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs on its interior. Moreover, the structure is stable only at neutral pH and collapses in the acidic tumor microenvironment, releasing drugs on-site from its core. The delivery vehicle is investigated using human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cells and RAW-Blue™ mouse macrophage reporter cell line, both of which have overly expression of folic acid receptors. To trace the cellular uptake by both cell lines, curcumin was selected as a dye and drug mimic owing to its fluorescence nature and hydrophobic properties. Fluorescent microscopy of FA-DABA-SMA loaded with curcumin revealed a significant internalization of the dye by human pancreatic PANC-1 cancer cells compared to those with unfunctionalized polymers (SMA). Moreover, the FA-DABA-SMA polymers exhibit rodlike association specific to the cells. Both empty SMA and FA-DABA-SMA show little toxicity to PANC-1 cells as characterized by WST-1 cell proliferation assay. These results clearly indicate that FA-DABA-SMA polymers show potential as an active tumor targeting drug delivery system with the ability to internalize hydrophobic chemotherapeutics after they specifically attach to cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada.
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Myron R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Szewczuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Royal Military College of Canada.
authors.forename: Cecile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malardier-Jugroot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008298:Maleates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008298:Maleates; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C520889:poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride); D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: curcumin; enhanced hydrophobic drug delivery; folic acid receptors; functionalized copolymers; improved cellular uptake