Anti-CD44-Conjugated Olive Oil Liquid Nanocapsules for Targeting Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells.

The latest trends in cancer research and nanomedicine focus on using nanocarriers to target cancer stem cells (CSCs). Specifically, lipid liquid nanocapsules are usually developed as nanocarriers for lipophilic drug delivery. Here, we developed olive oil liquid NCs (OLNCs) functionalized by covalent coupling of an anti-CD44-fluorescein isothiocyanate antibody (αCD44). First, OLNCs are formed by a core of olive oil surrounded by a shell containing phospholipids, a nonionic surfactant, and deoxycholic acid molecules. Then, OLNCs were coated with an αCD44 antibody (αCD44-OLNC). The optimization of an αCD44 coating procedure, a complete physicochemical characterization, as well as clear evidence of their efficacy and were demonstrated. Our results indicate the high targeted uptake of these αCD44-OLNCs, and the increased antitumor efficacy (up to four times) of paclitaxel-loaded-αCD44-OLNC compared to free paclitaxel in pancreatic CSCs (PCSCs). Also, αCD44-OLNCs were able to selectively target PCSCs in an orthotopic xenotransplant model.