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Published on: January 5, 2015
Preparation and in-vitro/in-vivo evaluation of surface-modified poly (lactide-co-glycolide) fluorescent nanoparticles
Sarala Pamujula1, Sidhartha Hazari, Gevoni Bolden
1Center for Nanomedicine and Drug Delivery, Xavier University College of Pharmacy, New Orleans, LA 70125-1098, USA.
Objective:
The aim was to develop biodegradable nanoparticles suitable for cellular delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs.
Methods:
Poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles were prepared using a modified solvent evaporation method. Chitosan and calcium chloride were tested as surface modifiers. Coumarin-6 was incorporated into some formulations as a fluorescent marker.
Key Findings:
The median size of the particles was between 400 nm and 7 microm, and scanning electron microscope pictures showed that the particles were smooth and spherical. The zeta potentials of the particles with and without surface modifier ranged between -25.7 mV and -7.0 mV, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FACS) analysis showed that smaller surface-modified particles were efficiently internalised by neoplastic 4T1 cells. Image analysis of frozen tissue sections from Balb/c mice given nanoparticles via the tail vein showed that the particles were distributed preferentially into the lungs, followed by the liver, spleen, kidney and heart.
Conclusions:
Chitosan-modified PLGA nanoparticles showed significant uptake by neoplastic 4T1 cells, and were distributed to several major organs frequently seen as sites of cancer metastasis in mice.
