Title:Anti-HER2 VHH Targeted Fluorescent Liposome as Bimodal Nanoparticle for Drug Delivery and Optical Imaging
Volume: 16
Issue: 4
Author(s): Sepideh Khaleghi, Fatemeh Rahbarizadeh*Shahryar K. Nikkhoi
Affiliation:
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran,Iran
Keywords:
Fluorescent liposome, HER2, live-cell imaging, targeted delivery, VHH, wide-field microscopy.
Abstract:
Objectives: The aim of this study was to formulate fluorescent-labeled targeted immunoliposome
to visualize the delivery and distribution of drugs in real-time.
Methods: In this study, fluorescent-labeled liposomes were decorated with anti-HER2 VHH or Herceptin
to improve the monitoring of intracellular drug delivery and tumor cell tracking with minimal
side effects. The conjugation efficiency of antibodies was analyzed by SDS-PAGE silver staining.
In addition, the physicochemical characterization of liposomes was performed using DLS and
TEM. Finally, confocal microscopy visualized nanoparticles in the target cells.
Results: Quantitative and qualitative methods characterized the intracellular uptake of 110±10 nm
particles with near 70% conjugation efficiency. In addition, live-cell trafficking during hours of incubation
was monitored by wide-field microscopy imaging. The results show that the fluorescent-
labeled nanoparticles can specifically bind to HER2-positive breast cancer with minimal off-target
delivery.
Conclusion: These nanoparticles can have several applications in personalized medicine, especially
drug delivery and real-time visualization of cancer therapy. Moreover, this method also can be
applied in the targeted delivery of contrast agents in imaging and thermotherapy.