Dual CD44 and folate receptor-targeted nanoparticles for cancer diagnosis and anticancer drug delivery

Dual CD44 and folate receptor targetable nanoparticles (NPs) based on hyaluronic acid-ceramide-folic acid (HACE-FA) were fabricated for improving tumor targetability. HACE-FA was synthesized via esterification between the carboxylic group of FA and hydroxyl group of HA. Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded HACE-FA NPs, with a mean diameter of 120-130nm, narrow size distribution, and negative zeta potential, were prepared. The drug release from HACE-FA NPs were significantly increased in acidic pH (pH5.5) compared with physiological pH (7.4) (p<0.05). The cellular accumulation of the drug in HACE-FA NPs group was higher than that of HACE NPs group in SKOV-3 cells (human ovarian cancer cells; CD44 and folate receptor (FR)-positive cells). Dual targetability of HACE-FA NPs, compared to HACE NPs, was also verified in the SKOV-3 tumor-xenografted mouse model by near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging. Twenty-four hours after injection, HACE-FA NPs were accumulated mainly in tumor regions and their fluorescence intensity was 4.82-fold higher than that of HACE NPs (p<0.05). These findings suggest successful application of HACE-FA NPs for the accurate delivery of anticancer drugs to ovarian cancer.