Targeting and Imaging of Cancer Cells via Monosaccharide-Imprinted Fluorescent Nanoparticles

Abstract

The recognition of cancer cells is a key for cancer diagnosis and therapy, but the specificity highly relies on the use of biorecognition molecules particularly antibodies. Because biorecognition molecules suffer from some apparent disadvantages, such as hard to prepare and poor storage stability, novel alternatives that can overcome these disadvantages are highly important. Here we present monosaccharide-imprinted fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) for targeting and imaging of cancer cells. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) probe was fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) doped silica NPs with a shell imprinted with sialic acid, fucose or mannose as the template. The monosaccharide-imprinted NPs exhibited high specificity toward the target monosaccharides. As the template monosaccharides used are over-expressed on cancer cells, these monosaccharide-imprinted NPs allowed for specific targeting cancer cells over normal cells. Fluorescence imaging of human hepatoma carcinoma cells (HepG-2) over normal hepatic cells (L-02) and mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) over normal mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A) by these NPs was demonstrated. As the imprinting approach employed herein is generally applicable and highly efficient, monosaccharide-imprinted NPs can be promising probes for targeting cancer cells.

Evaluation of the Impact of Imprinted Polymer Particles on Morphology and Motility of Breast Cancer Cells by Using Digital Holographic Cytometry

“…They are synthetic alternatives to lectins and antibodies and can be endowed with secondary functions such as luminescence, magnetic or electrochemical properties in a straightforward manner. MIPs are also comparatively easy to prepare, commonly at lower costs than antibodies [12][13][14]. MIPs targeting SA could contribute to solving challenges faced in the tailor-making of macromolecular reporters, such as poor specificity because of the use of entire cancer cells as templates [15].…”

Development of Sialic Acid-coated Nanoparticles for Targeting Cancer and Efficient Evasion of the Immune System

“…Siglec, which is broadly expressed in the innate immune system, has an intracellular immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) that can mediate inhibitory signals upon binding to sialic acid and activate downstream inhibitory signaling through the recruitment of tyrosine phosphatases SHP-1 and SHP-2 23-27. In addition, sialic acid can also be used as a targeting ligand owing to its specific binding to a carbohydrate-binding lectin overexpressed in several types of cancers 28-30. Sialic acid-covered nanoparticles are expected to facilitate inhibition of immune cell activation, which allows RES escape by rendering the nanoparticles prolonged circulation in the blood stream and reduced uptake by the immune system.…”

Nanotechnology and sialic acid biology

“…Monosaccharide-imprinted fluorescent NPs comprising of doped silica NPs with a shell imprinted with sialic acid, fucose, or mannose as the template with probe fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) enabled imaging of human hepatoma carcinoma cells (HepG-2) and human primary tumor cell line michigan cancer foundation (MCF-7) derived from mammary gland [95]. Sialic acid incorporation into the GG molecule could increase fourfold anticancer compound paclitaxel loading capacity forming selfassembled nanostructures of di-and tri-sialogangliosides [96].…”