Thiol-Reactive Star Polymers Functionalized with Short Ethoxy-Containing Moieties Exhibit Enhanced Uptake in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells.

Purpose: Directing nanoparticles to cancer cells without using antibodies is of great interest. Subtle changes to the surface chemistry of nanoparticles can significantly affect their biological fate, including their propensity to associate with different cell populations. For instance, nanoparticles functionalized with thiol-reactive groups can potentially enhance association with cells that over-express cell-surface thiol groups.