Targeting the efficacy of a dendrimer-based nanotherapeutic in heterogeneous xenograft tumors in vivo

Anticancer Drugs. 2010 Feb;21(2):186-92. doi: 10.1097/CAD.0b013e328334560f.

Abstract

Our earlier studies have shown the in vitro and in vivo targeting of a generation 5 (G5) dendrimer-based multifunctional conjugate that contained folic acid (FA) as the targeting agent and methotrexate (MTX) as the chemotherapeutic drug. To clinically apply the synthesized G5-FA-MTX nanotherapeutic, it is important that the anticancer conjugate elicits cytotoxicity specifically and consistently. Toward this objective, we evaluated the large-scale synthesis of a G5-FA-MTX conjugate (Lot # 123-34) for its cytotoxic potential and specificity in vitro and in vivo. The cytotoxicity and specificity were tested by using a coculture assay in which FA receptor-expressing and nonexpressing cells (KB and SK-BR-3 cells, respectively) were cultured together and preferential killing was examined. The in-vitro data were compared with the in-vivo data obtained from a heterogeneous xenograft tumor model. The animal model of the artificial heterogeneous xenograft tumor showed that the nanotherapeutic was preferentially cytotoxic to KB cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / pharmacology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Dendrimers / chemistry*
  • Drug Carriers / chemical synthesis
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Folic Acid / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • KB Cells / drug effects
  • Methotrexate / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred NOD
  • Mice, SCID
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Dendrimers
  • Drug Carriers
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Folic Acid
  • Methotrexate