MUC1 aptamer-functionalized PLA-PEG nanocarriers at various w/w ratios (polymer to doxorubicin weight ratio) were prepared by a double emulsion method. Physiochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading content (LC) and in vitro release kinetics of DOX were assessed. Furthermore, cytotoxicity and antitumor activity of prepared PLA-PEG-Apt/DOX NPs at w/w ratio 10:1 were evaluated by MTT assay and flow cytometry against MUC1-overexpressing A-549 cell line. Targeted nanocarriers (PLA-PEG-Apt/DOX NPs at w/w ratio 10:1) induced higher apoptosis rate (36.3 ± 3.44%) for 24 h in MUC1 positive A-549 cancer cells in compare to non-targeted form (PLA-PEG/DOX NPs at w/w ratio 10:1, 11.37 ± 1.65%) and free DOX (4.35 ± 0.81%). In other word, the percentage of cell death in A-549 lung cancer cells treated with PLA-PEG-Apt/DOX NPs at w/w ratio 10:1 is 3.19 and 8.34 fold higher than in non-targeted form and Free DOX treated cancer cells, respectively. Therefore, PLA-PEG-Apt/DOX NPs might be considered a promising drug delivery system for targeted drug delivery towards MUC1-overexpressing tumors cells.

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Silica coated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), silica@MWCNTs and nanocomposites were synthesized by a sol-gel method. By using the synthesized nanocomposites and also CNTs as templates, silica nanotubes (silica-NTs) were prepared. The optical properties of fabricated nanocomposites and nanotubes were characterized by back-scattering micro Raman, UV/Vis/NIR and FT-IR spectra, which show the presence of CNTs structure in the nanocomposites. UV/Vis/NIR and FT-IR spectra also show the presence of silica compounds. The recorded spectra from UV/Vis/NIR and FT-IR also confirm the presence of silica compounds in the nanotubes. The results of FE-SEM imaging data indicate that the synthesized samples are MWCNTs coated uniformly by silica molecules, which act as the template to synthesize silica-NTs.