Synthesis and Characterization of Lipid Immuno-Nanocapsules for Directed Drug Delivery: Selective Antitumor Activity against HER2 Positive Breast-Cancer Cells

Lipid nanocapsules (LNC) are usually developed as nanocarriers for lipophilic drug delivery. The surface characteristics of these colloidal particles are determinant for a controlled and directed delivery to target tissues with specific markers. We report the development of immuno-nanocapsules, in which some antibody molecules with different immuno-specificity are conjugated to the nanocapsule surface, offering the standardization of a simple method to obtain vectorized nanosystems with specific recognition properties. Nanocapsules were prepared by a solvent-displacement technique, producing an oily core coated by a functional shell of different biocompatible molecules and surface carboxylic groups. Three different antibodies (one a specific HER2 oncoprotein antibody) were conjugated with these nanoparticles by the carbodiimide method, which allows the covalent immobilization of protein molecules through carboxylic surface groups. The immuno-nanocapsules were completely characterized physico-chemically vi...