J. Funct. Biomater. 2012, 3(1), 79-99; doi:10.3390/jfb3010079
Review

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a New Polymeric Conjugate and Nanocarrier with Osteotropic Properties

Rosario Pignatello* email, Maria Grazia Sarpietroemail and Francesco Castelliemail
Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Catania, viale A. Doria 6, Catania I-95125, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 15 December 2011; in revised form: 10 January 2012 / Accepted: 11 January 2012 / Published: 19 January 2012
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Abstract: Bone-seeking (osteotropic) drug delivery systems (ODDS) represent an interesting solution for targeting different types of drugs to the bones. In particular, anticancer and antibacterial agents could take advantage of such therapeutic strategy. We have recently developed an innovative approach to this aim: a new osteotropic biomaterial was prepared, based on the conjugation of a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) with the bisphosphonate drug alendronate (PLGA-ALE); its hemo- and cytocompatibility were verified. Starting with this copolymer, an osteotropic nanoparticle system (NP) was produced for the targeted delivery of antineoplastic drugs to osteolytic bone metastases; in particular, doxorubicin was tested as a model drug. The in vitro and in vivo results of the new ODDS are validated in this article. All the experimental data confirmed that the drug retained its activity after loading in the PLGA-ALE NP; they can be thus considered a new promising strategy for active targeting of drugs to bone tissues in different pathological situations.
Keywords: PLGA; alendronate; bone-seeking polymer; nanoparticles; biocompatibility; hemocompatibility; doxorubicin; osteolytic tumors; bone metastasis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Pignatello, R.; Sarpietro, M.G.; Castelli, F. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a New Polymeric Conjugate and Nanocarrier with Osteotropic Properties. J. Funct. Biomater. 2012, 3, 79-99.

AMA Style

Pignatello R, Sarpietro MG, Castelli F. Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a New Polymeric Conjugate and Nanocarrier with Osteotropic Properties. Journal of Functional Biomaterials. 2012; 3(1):79-99.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pignatello, Rosario; Sarpietro, Maria Grazia; Castelli, Francesco. 2012. "Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of a New Polymeric Conjugate and Nanocarrier with Osteotropic Properties." J. Funct. Biomater. 3, no. 1: 79-99.

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