title: Near-Infrared Light Responsive Folate Targeted Gold Nanorods for Combined Photothermal-Chemotherapy of Osteosarcoma.
abstract: Folate-targeted gold nanorods (GNRs) are proposed as selective theranostic agents for osteosarcoma treatment. An amphiphilic polysaccharide based graft-copolymer (INU-LA-PEG-FA) and an amino derivative of the α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-d,l-aspartamide functionalized with folic acid (PHEA-EDA-FA), have been synthesized to act as coating agents for GNRs. The obtained polymer-coated GNRs were characterized in terms of size, shape, zeta potential, chemical composition, and aqueous stability. They protected the anticancer drug nutlin-3 and were able to deliver it efficiently in different physiological media. The ability of the proposed systems to selectively kill tumor cells was tested on U2OS cancer cells expressing high levels of FRs and compared with human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa). The property of the nanosystems of efficiently controlling drug release upon NIR laser irradiation and of acting as an excellent hyperthermia agent as well as Two Photon Luminescence imaging contrast agents was demonstrated. The proposed folate-targeted GNRs have also been tested in terms of chemoterapeutic and thermoablation efficacy on tridimensional (3-D) osteosarcoma models.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), University of Palermo , Via Archirafi, 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li Volsi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), University of Palermo , Via Archirafi, 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scialabba
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Palermo , 90123 Palermo, Italy.|Mediterranean Center for Human Health Advanced Biotechnologies (CHAB), Aten Center, University of Palermo , 90129 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vetri
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), University of Palermo , Via Archirafi, 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennara
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavallaro
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), University of Palermo , Via Archirafi, 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy.|Mediterranean Center for Human Health Advanced Biotechnologies (CHAB), Aten Center, University of Palermo , 90129 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4539-9337
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Licciardi
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biocompatible Polymers, Department of Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche (STEBICEF), University of Palermo , Via Archirafi, 32, 90123 Palermo, Italy.|Mediterranean Center for Human Health Advanced Biotechnologies (CHAB), Aten Center, University of Palermo , 90129 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giammona
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005492:Folic Acid; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D043942:Nanotubes; D012516:Osteosarcoma
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D005492:Folic Acid
keywords: NIR-laser triggered drug release; folate-targeted; gold nanorods; osteosarcoma; photothermal-chemotherapy