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Synthesis, Cellular Delivery and In vivo Application of Dendrimer-based pH Sensors
Published on: September 10, 2013
Design, synthesis, and biological functionality of a dendrimer-based modular drug delivery platform
Douglas G Mullen1, Daniel Q McNerny, Ankur Desai
1Programs in Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, Michigan 48019, United States.
None:
A modular dendrimer-based drug delivery platform was designed to improve upon existing limitations in single dendrimer systems. Using this modular strategy, a biologically active platform containing receptor mediated targeting and fluorescence imaging modules was synthesized by coupling a folic acid (FA) conjugated dendrimer with a fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated dendrimer. The two different dendrimer modules were coupled via the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction ("click" chemistry) between an alkyne moiety on the surface of the first dendrimer and an azide moiety on the second dendrimer. Two simplified model systems were also synthesized to develop appropriate "click" reaction conditions and aid in spectroscopic assignments. Conjugates were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy and NOESY. The FA-FITC modular platform was evaluated in vitro with a human epithelial cancer cell line (KB) and found to specifically target the overexpressed folic acid receptor.
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