Journal article

Unravelling "off-target" effects of redox-active polymers and polymer multilayered capsules in prostate cancer cells

Giovanni L Beretta, Marco Folini, Francesca Cavalieri, Yan Yan, Enrico Fresch, Subramanian Kaliappan, Christoph Hasenhoerl, Joseph J Richardson, Stella Tinelli, Andreas Fery, Frank Caruso, Nadia Zaffaroni

NANOSCALE | ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY | Published : 2015

Abstract

Redox-active polymers and carriers are oxidizing nanoagents that can potentially trigger intracellular off-target effects. In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of off-target effects in prostate cancer cells following exposure to redox-active polymer and thin multilayer capsules with different chemical properties. We show that, depending on the intracellular antioxidant capacity, thiol-functionalized poly(methacrylic acid), PMA(SH) triggers cell defense responses/perturbations that result in off-target effects (i.e., induction of autophagy and down-regulation of survivin). Importantly, the conversion of the carboxyl groups of PMA(SH) into the neutral amides of poly(hydroxyprop..

View full abstract

Grants

Awarded by Marie Curie Actions-International Research Staff Exchange Scheme


Awarded by Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology


Awarded by Australian Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by grants from Marie Curie Actions-International Research Staff Exchange Scheme (grant #247542, Nanosirna), Fondazione Italo Monzino, by the Endeavour Research Fellowship Scheme 2014 (F. Cavalieri), and was conducted and funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology (project number CE140100036), and the Australian Research Council under the Australian Laureate Fellowship (F. Caruso, FL120100030) and Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (Y.Y., DE130100488) schemes. The authors are thankful to J. Cui (The University of Melbourne) for kindly providing the mesoporous silica particles.