Active targeting of HER2-positive breast cancer cells by Herceptin-functionalized organically modified silica nanoparticles

Normal micelle microemulsion method was utilized for fabrication of organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles. The void and dye-doped nanoparticles were synthesized in nonpolar core of two different surfactants including Aerosol OT and Tween 80. The nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and zeta potential analysis. Our results revealed that the type of surfactant molecules has a dramatic impact on the size and size distribution range, surface charge, and surface functionalization of the nanoparticles. The particles fabricated using Tween 80 had very smaller size with narrow size distribution and very lower amount of zeta potential. For specific delivery of functionalized nanoparticles to breast cancer cell line SKBR3, overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), both dye-doped nanoparticles fabricated with Aerosol OT or Tween 80, was conjugated to Herceptin. In vitro studies using fluorescent microscopy demonstrated that the surfactant used for preparation of the nanoparticles can affect the uptake of the particles by cells. The dye-doped functionalized ORMOSIL nanoparticles prepared with Aerosol OT showed better efficiency in the process of active targeting of HER2 receptor. Herceptin-functionalized ORMOSIL nanoparticles can be used for differentiation of HER2-positive from HER2-negative breast cancer cells or specific delivery of therapeutic and diagnostic agents and also other nanoparticles such as magnetic nanoparticles and quantum dots to breast cancer cells. [Figure: see text]