Garg, Ashish2010-02-232010-02-232009-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/58335University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. December 2009. Major: Material Science and Engineering. Advisor: Professor Efrosini Kokkoli, 1 computer file (PDF), xiv, 134 pages.The ability to target cancer cells using an appropriate drug delivery system can significantly reduce the associated side effects from cancer therapies and can help in improving the overall quality of life, post cancer survival. Integrin a5b1 is expressed on several types of cancer cells, including colon cancer and plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, the ability to target the integrin a5b1 using an appropriate drug delivery nano-vector can significantly help in inhibiting tumor growth and reducing tumor metastasis. The work in this thesis focuses on designing and optimizing, functionalized stealth liposomes (liposomes covered with polyethylene glycol (PEG)) that specifically target the integrin a5b1. The PEG provides a steric barrier allowing the liposomes to circulate in the blood for longer duration and the functionalizing moiety, PR_b peptide specifically recognizes and binds to integrin a5b1 expressing cells. The work demonstrates that by optimizing the amount of PEG and PR_b on the liposomal interface, nano-vectors can be engineered that bind to CT26.WT colon cancer cells in a specific manner and internalize through a5b1-mediated endocytosis. To further improve the efficacy of the system, PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes that exhibit triggered release under mild acidic conditions present in endocytotic vesicles were designed. The study showed that PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes, undergo destabilization under mildly acidic conditions and incorporation of the PR_b peptide does not significantly affect the pH-sensitivity of the liposomes. PR_b functionalized pH-sensitive stealth liposomes bind to CT26.WT colon carcinoma cells that express integrin a5b1, undergo cellular internalization, and release their load intracellularly in a short period of time as compared to other formulations. PR_b-targeted pH-sensitive stealth liposomes encapsulating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) show significantly higher cytotoxicity than the PR_b-targeted inert stealth liposomes and the non-targeted stealth liposomes (both pH-sensitive and inert). The studies demonstrated that optimized PR_b functionalized pH sensitive liposomes have the potential to deliver a payload, such as chemotherapeutic agents, directly to colon cancer cells in an efficient and specific manner.en-US5-fluorouracilIntegrin a5b1LiposomespH-sensitivePR_b fibronectin-mimetic peptide RGD PHSRNTargeted Drug DeliveryMaterial Science and EngineeringThesis or Dissertation