Targeted Liposome‐Loaded Microbubbles for Cell‐Specific Ultrasound‐Triggered Drug Delivery. Issue 23 (5th June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Geers, Bart; De Wever, Olivier; Demeester, Joseph; Bracke, Marc; De Smedt, Stefaan C.; Lentacker, Ine
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 9:Issue 23(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 4027
• Page End: 4035
• Publication Date: 2013-06-05
• Subjects: Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201300161
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>One of the main problems in cancer treatment is disease relapse through metastatic colonization, which is caused by circulating tumor cells (CTCs). This work reports on liposome‐loaded microbubbles targeted to N‐cadherin, a cell–cell adhesion molecule expressed by CTCs. It is shown that such microbubbles can indeed bind to N‐cadherin at the surface of HMB2 cells. Interestingly, in a mixture of cells with and without N‐cadherin expression, binding of the liposome‐loaded microbubbles mainly occurs to the N‐cadherin‐expressing cells. Importantly, applying ultrasound results in the intracellular delivery of a model drug (loaded in the liposomes) in the N‐cadherin‐expressing cells only. As described in this paper, such liposome‐loaded microbubbles may find application as theranostics and in devices aimed for the specific killing of CTCs in blood.</p> </abstract>