Radiosensitizing Silica Nanoparticles Encapsulating Docetaxel for Treatment of Prostate Cancer.
The applications of nanoparticles in oncology include enhanced drug delivery, efficient tumor targeting, treatment monitoring, and diagnostics. The "theranostic properties" associated with nanoparticles have shown enhanced delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs with superior imaging capabilities and minimal toxicities. In conventional chemotherapy, only a fraction of the administered drug reaches the tumor site or cancer cells. For successful translation of these formulations, it is imperative to evaluate the design and properties of these nanoparticles. Here, we describe the design of ultra-small silica nanoparticles to encapsulate a radiosensitizing drug for combined chemoradiation therapy. The small size of nanoparticles allows for better dispersion and uptake of the drug within the highly vascularized tumor tissue. Silica nanoparticles are synthesized using an oil-in-water microemulsion method. The microemulsion method provides a robust synthetic route in which the inner hydrophobic core is used to encapsulate chemotherapy drug, docetaxel while the outer hydrophilic region provides dispersibility of the synthesized nanoparticles in an aqueous environment. Docetaxel is commonly used for treatment of resistant or metastatic prostate cancer, and is known to have radiosensitizing properties. Here, we describe a systematic approach for synthesizing these theranostic nanoparticles for application in prostate cancer.
Department of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.|Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, 428 Egan Research Center, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Jodi
J
Belz
Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, 428 Egan Research Center, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Noelle
N
Castilla-Ojo
Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, 428 Egan Research Center, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.|Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
Srinivas
S
Sridhar
Nanomedicine Science and Technology Center, Northeastern University, 428 Egan Research Center, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. r.kumar@neu.edu.|Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. r.kumar@neu.edu.
Rajiv
R
Kumar
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003956:Dialysis; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004339:Drug Compounding; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
Bottom-up synthesis; Docetaxel; Drug delivery; Microemulsions; Prostate cancer; Radiosensitization; Silica nanoparticles