| 1. |
- Bazylińska, Urszula, et al.
(författare)
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Hybrid Theranostic Cubosomes for Efficient NIR-Induced Photodynamic Therapy
- 2022
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Ingår i: ACS Nano. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1936-0851 .- 1936-086X. ; 16:4, s. 5427-5438
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In recent years, lipid bicontinuous cubic liquid-crystalline nanoparticles known as cubosomes have been under investigation because of their favorable properties as drug nanocarriers useful for anticancer treatments. Herein, we present organic/inorganic hybrid, theranostic cubosomes stabilized in water with a shell of alternate layers of chitosan, single strand DNA (model genetic material for potential gene therapy), and folic acid-chitosan conjugate (the outmost layer), coencapsulating up-converting Er3+ and Yb3+ codoped NaYF4 nanoparticles and daunorubicin. The latter acts as a chemotherapeutic drug of photosensitizing activity, while up-converting nanoparticles serve as energy harvester and diagnostic agent. Cellular uptake and NIR-induced photodynamic therapy were evaluated in vitro against human skin melanoma (MeWo) and ovarian (SKOV-3) cancer cells. Results evidenced the preferential uptake of the theranostic cubosomes in SKOV-3 cells in comparison to uptake in MeWo cells, and this effect was enhanced by the folic acid functionalization of the cubosomes surface. Nanocarriers coloaded with the hybrid fluorophores exhibited a superior NIR-induced photodynamic activity, also confirmed by the improved mitochondrial activity and the most affecting f-actin fibers of cytoskeleton. Similar results, but with higher photocytotoxicity, were detected when folic acid-functionalized cubosomes were incubated with SKOV-3 cells. Taken on the whole, these results prove these hybrid cubosomes are good candidates for the photodynamic treatment of tumor lesions.
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| 2. |
- Bazzicalupi, Carla, et al.
(författare)
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Multimodal Use of New Coumarin-Based Fluorescent Chemosensors: Towards Highly Selective Optical Sensors for Hg2+ Probing
- 2013
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Ingår i: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley-VCH Verlag. - 0947-6539 .- 1521-3765. ; 19:43, s. 14639-14653
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Despite several types of fluorescent sensing molecules have been proposed and examined to signal Hg2+ ion binding, the development of fluorescence-based devices for in-field Hg2+ detection and screening in environmental and industrial samples is still a challenging task. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of three new coumarin-based fluorescent chemosensors featuring mixed thia/aza macrocyclic framework as receptors units, that is, ligands L1-L3. These probes revealed an OFF-ON selective response to the presence of Hg2+ ions in MeCN/H2O 4:1 (v/v), which allowed imaging of this metal ion in Cos-7 cells in vitro. Once included in silica core-polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell nanoparticles or supported on polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based polymeric membranes, ligands L1-L3 can also selectively sense Hg2+ ions in pure water. In particular we have developed an optical sensing array tacking advantage of the fluorescent properties of ligand L3 and based on the computer screen photo assisted technique (CSPT). In the device ligand L3 is dispersed into PVC membranes and it quantitatively responds to Hg2+ ions in natural water samples.
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| 3. |
- Biffi, Stefania, et al.
(författare)
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Cubosomes for in vivo fluorescence lifetime imaging
- 2017
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Ingår i: Nanotechnology. - : IOP Publishing. - 0957-4484 .- 1361-6528. ; 28:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Herein we provided the first proof of principle for in vivo fluorescence optical imaging application using monoolein-based cubosomes in a healthy mouse animal model. This formulation, administered at a non-cytotoxic concentration, was capable of providing both exogenous contrast for NIR fluorescence imaging with very high efficiency and chemospecific information upon lifetime analysis. Time-resolved measurements of fluorescence after the intravenous injection of cubosomes revealed that the dye rapidly accumulated mainly in the liver, while lifetimes profiles obtained in vivo allowed for discriminating between free dye or dye embedded within the cubosome nanostructure after injection.
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| 4. |
- Caltagirone, Claudia, et al.
(författare)
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Solvatochromic fluorescent BODIPY derivative as imaging agent in camptothecin loaded hexosomes for possible theranostic applications
- 2015
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2046-2069. ; 5:30, s. 23443-23449
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We here discuss the potential theranostic nanomedicine application of an innovative formulation consisting of monoolein-based nanoparticles with a two-dimensional hexagonal inner structure stabilized in water using a mixture of PEO132-PPO50-PEO132 block copolymers with and without conjugated folate for targeting. The proposed tumor-cell targeted formulation was shown to be able to simultaneously host the model anticancer drug camptothecin and a pyrene-modified BODIPY fluorophore, based on dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The photophysical properties of the fluorophore were studied in solution in various solvents. A marked fluorescent solvatochromism, whose origin was explained by time-dependent density functional theory theoretical calculations, was observed. Fluorescence microscopy showed that HeLa cells readily internalize these nanoparticles, and that the fluorophore localizes within the lipid droplets. In addition, cytotoxicity test revealed that these nanoparticles are not toxic at the concentration used for the imaging analysis.
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| 5. |
- Meli, Valeria, et al.
(författare)
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Docetaxel-Loaded Fluorescent Liquid-Crystalline Nanoparticles for Cancer Theranostics.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 31:35, s. 9566-9575
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here, we describe a novel monoolein-based cubosome formulation engineered for possible theranostic applications in oncology. The Docetaxel-loaded nanoparticles were stabilized in water by a mixture of commercial Pluronic (poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer) F108 (PF108) and rhodamine- and folate-conjugated PF108 so that the nanoparticles possess targeting, therapeutic, and imaging properties. Nanoparticles were investigated by DLS, cryo-TEM, and SAXS to confirm their structural features. The fluorescent emission characterization of the proposed formulation indicated that the rhodamine conjugated to the PF108 experiences an environment less polar than water (similar to chloroform), suggesting that the fluorescent fragment is buried within the poly(ethylene oxide) corona surrounding the nanoparticle. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were successfully used to image living HeLa cells and demonstrated a significant short-term (4 h incubation) cytotoxicity effect against these cancer cells. Furthermore, given their analogy as nanocarriers for molecules of pharmaceutical interest and to better stress the singularities of these bicontinuous cubic nanoparticles, we also quantitatively evaluated the differences between cubosomes and multilamellar liposomes in terms of surface area and hydrophobic volume.
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| 6. |
- Meli, Valeri, et al.
(författare)
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Theranostic hexosomes for cancer treatments : an in vitro study
- 2017
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Ingår i: New Journal of Chemistry. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1144-0546 .- 1369-9261. ; 41:4, s. 1558-1565
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have formulated and investigated innovative lipid-based nanoparticles characterized by a reverse hexagonal liquid crystalline inner structure (hexosomes). These nanoparticles were doped with a potent, highly water insoluble anticancer drug, namely docetaxel, and stabilized by a mixture of commercial and folate- and rhodamine-conjugated Pluronic F108. Thus, they simultaneously possess therapeutic, imaging, and targeting properties toward cancer cells. The morphological and structural aspects of the hexosomes were investigated at different temperatures (10, 25, 37, and 50 °C), and our results demonstrate good performance in terms of stability of these nanoparticles. The latter was furthermore confirmed by the very slow and continuous release profile of docetaxel observed in drug release experiments. Although it was not possible to assess a specific compartmentalization of the dye, this formulation allowed the successful visualization of HeLa cells. Finally, cytotoxic assays showed a 20-fold higher toxic effect of the drug-doped hexosomes against HeLa cells with respect to the free (not loaded in hexosomes) anticancer drug. On the whole, these results indicate that this formulation is a potential theranostic tool in oncology.
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| 7. |
- Miceli, Vitale, et al.
(författare)
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In vitro imaging of b-cells using fluorescent cubic bicontinuous liquid crystalline nanoparticles
- 2016
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Ingår i: RSC Advances. - 2046-2069. ; 6, s. 62119-62127
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- To evaluate the potential of monoolein-based cubic bicontinuous liquid crystalline nanoparticles (cubosomes) as diagnostic tools in diabetes and pancreatic β-cell transplantation, fluorescent cubosomes were formulated, entrapping within the lipid bilayer a newly synthesized, potent, hydrophobic dye. Cryo-TEM, SAXS, and DLS were performed to assess the morphological and structural aspects of this formulation. Rat pancreatic β-cells (INS-1E) readily took up the cubosome nanoparticles, as revealed by in vitro internalization tests, and flow-cytometric analyses confirmed the persistence of the fluorescence for up to 24 hours. The cytotoxicity of cubosomes at various concentrations, evaluated with a real-time analysis of proliferation, revealed that the proliferation curves relative to the less concentrated formulation (5 μM in terms of monoolein content) were comparable to the untreated cultures. INS-1E cell cycle and apoptosis supported such results. In conclusion, this formulation, with dye content in the nanomolar range, seems to be useful for β-cell imaging.
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| 8. |
- Murgia, Sergio, et al.
(författare)
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Cubosome formulations stabilized by a dansyl-conjugated block copolymer for possible nanomedicine applications.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-4367 .- 0927-7765. ; 129, s. 87-94
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present here an innovative, fluorescent, monoolein-based cubosome dispersion. Rather than embedded within the monoolein palisade, the fluorescent imaging agent, namely dansyl, was conjugated to the terminal ethylene oxide moieties of the block copolymer Pluronic F108. We discuss the physicochemical and photophysical properties of this fluorescent Pluronic and of a cubosome formulation stabilized by a mixture of dansyl-conjugated and non-conjugated Pluronic, also including an anticancer drug (quercetin). Furthermore, we performed biocompatibility tests against HeLa cells to assess internalization and cytotoxicity features of this nanoparticles aqueous dispersion. Cryo-TEM, SAXS, and DLS analysis, proved the bicontinuous cubic inner nanostructure and the morphology of this fluorescent cubosome dispersion, while photophysical measurements and biocompatibility results basically validate their potential use for theranostic nanomedicine applications.
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