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Updated: May 14, 2026
Polymalic Acid-based Nano Biopolymers for Targeting of Multiple Tumor Markers: An Opportunity for Personalized Medicine?
Published on: June 13, 2014
D-amino acid oxidase-nanoparticle system: a potential novel approach for cancer enzymatic therapy
Adriana Bava1, Rosalba Gornati, Francesca Cappellini
1Dipartimento di Biotecnologie & Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Via Dunant 3, Varese, Italy.
Aim:
The authors propose a new magnetic nanoparticle-enzyme system for cancer therapy capable of targeting the enzyme and consequently decreasing the adverse effects, meanwhile improving the patient's life quality.
Materials & Methods:
The authors have functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles with 3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and conjugated it to yeast D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) by coupling this with glutaraldehyde.
Results & Conclusion:
The authors have tested the Fe3O4-APTES-DAAO system on three tumor cell lines. Exposed cells show, at the electron microscope level, nanoparticles on the surface of the plasma membrane and inside endocytic vesicles. Fe3O4-APTES-DAAO caused a substantial decrease of cell viability greatly augmented when D-alanine, a DAAO substrate, was added. Fe3O4-APTES-DAAO was demonstrated to be more effective than free DAAO, confirming the validity of the system in cancer therapy.
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