Polymeric biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticles labeled with peptides for imaging in ovarian cancer

Abstract

Compared to other nanomaterial, surface-modified iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have gained attraction for cancer therapy applications due to its low toxicity, and long retention time. An innocuous targeting strategy was developed by generation of Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled peptide (Growth factor domain (GFD) and somatomedin B domain (SMB)) functionalized, chitosan coated IONPs (IONPs/C). It can be used to target urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), which is a surface biomarker, in ovarian cancer. Binding affinity between uPAR and peptides (GFD and SMB) were revealed by in-silico docking studies. The biophysical characterizations of IONPs, IONPs/C, and IONPs/C /GFD-FITC or SMB-FITC nanoprobes were assessed via Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). Prussian blue staining, fluorescence spectroscopy, and fluorescence imaging were performed to confirm the targeting of nanoprobes with the surface receptor uPAR. The combination of IONPs/C/GFD+SMB showed efficient targeting of uPAR in the tumor microenvironment, and thus can be implemented as a molecular magnetic nanoprobe for cancer cell imaging and targeting.

Recent trends in preparation and biomedical applications of iron oxide nanoparticles

“…CS-coated IONPs had negligible cytotoxicity in SKOV3 cells after exposed for 24 and 48 h. However, fluorescein isothiocyanate-growth factor domain-somatomedin B domain functionalized IONPs obviously induced cell death (more than 40% cell died) under the concentration of 0.25 μg/mL [ 77 ]. Although the concentration of cobalt and manganese coated IONP nanoclusters (CoMn-IONP) increased to 300–1000 μg/mL, the cell viability only decreased 10–25% in ovarian cancer cells even with highly internalization efficiency.…”

The Recent Advance of Cell-Penetrating and Tumor-Targeting Peptides as Drug Delivery Systems Based on Tumor Microenvironment

“…Subsequently, they modified GFD and SMB on the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). The IONPs/C/GFD+SMB combination identified that uPAR is a valuable target in tumor microenvironment and can be used for cancer cell imaging …”

Peptides for diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer

“…In terms of laboratory diagnosis, some endogenous peptides can reveal the different pathology and heterogeneity of diseases by reflecting the expression of disease proteins or changes in the corresponding enzyme activities, which have the potential to become promising diagnostic markers (15). In terms of imaging, peptide receptors overexpressed in ovarian cancer have been used as molecular targets to localize tumors, and radiolabeled peptides can accurately localize primary tumor lesions (16).…”