Precise Targeting of Liver Tumor Using Glycol Chitosan Nanoparticles: Mechanisms, Key Factors, and Their Implications

Jin Hee Na, Heebeom Koo, Sangmin Lee, Seung Jin Han, Kyung Eun Lee, Sunjin Kim, Haeshin Lee, Seulki Lee, Kuiwon Choi, Ick Chan Kwon, Kwangmeyung Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Scopus citations

Abstract

Herein, we elucidated the mechanisms and key factors for the tumor-targeting ability of nanoparticles that presented high targeting efficiency for liver tumor. We used several different nanoparticles with sizes of 200-300 nm, including liposome nanoparticles (LNPs), polystyrene nanoparticles (PNPs) and glycol chitosan-5β-cholanic acid nanoparticles (CNPs). Their sizes are suitable for the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect in literature. Different in vitro characteristics, such as the particle structure, stability, and bioinertness, were carefully analyzed with and without serum proteins. Also, pH-dependent tumor cell uptakes of nanoparticles were studied using fluorescence microscopy. Importantly, CNPs had sufficient stability and bioinertness to maintain their nanoparticle structure in the bloodstream, and they also presented prolonged circulation time in the body (blood circulation half-life T1/2 = about 12.2 h), compared to the control nanoparticles. Finally, employing liver tumor bearing mice, we also observed that CNPs had excellent liver tumor targeting ability in vivo, while LNPs and PNPs demonstrated lower tumor-targeting efficiency due to the nonspecific accumulation in normal liver tissue. Liver tumor models were produced by laparotomy and direct injection of HT29 tumor cells into the left lobe of the liver of athymic nude mice. This study provides valuable information concerning the key factors for the tumor-targeting ability of nanoparticles such as stability, bioinertness, and rapid cellular uptake at targeted tumor tissues.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3700-3711
Number of pages12
JournalMolecular Pharmaceutics
Volume13
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 7 2016

Keywords

  • biodistribution
  • liver tumor
  • nanoparticles
  • stability
  • tumor targeting

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Drug Discovery

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