Development of nanostructured systems containing ZnO quantum dots ZnO for application in medical imaging and vectorization of drugs

• Grant number: 13/25711-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: June 01, 2014 - May 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Leila Aparecida Chiavacci Favorin
• Grantee: Leila Aparecida Chiavacci Favorin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The specific release of active agents represents a major challenge for the treatment of various diseases, particularly cancer. The active molecules must be able to overcome barriers that separate them from the site of administration or site of action desired. The design of nanosystems capable of delivering the active ingredient, to improve their distribution and limit side effects, represents an important advance in the vectorization of certain molecules. The most innovative research is the design of "theranóstic systems" that combine a diagnostic function due to imaging diagnostic and a therapeutic function, due to the vectorization of an active agent. The project goal is to demonstrate that quantum dots-based zinc oxide obtained by the sol-gel process can be successfully incorporated into polymeric nanoparticles or lipidic multifunctional liposomes to be simultaneous used in diagnostic imaging and transport of active agents. The presence of different metal cations can confer the ZnO quantum dots magnetic properties characteristics of contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, thus combining two types of image, the fluorescent and magnetic resonance imaging. The first stage of this project is to determine the parameters that will improve the optical properties, magnetic and surface quantum dot-based ZnO obtained by the sol-gel through a fundamental study aimed to correlate the synthesis conditions, the structure of quantum dots and their properties. ZnO nanoparticles can be produced with low price and functionalized surface by sol-gel route. In a second step, these quantum dots are inserted into vectors lipid or polymeric drugs. The last step consisted in a study in vitro of the toxicity and cellular internalization of these nanoparticles. This project includes the participation of french research groups headed by Dr. Claudie Bourgaux and is supported by the program CAPES / COFECUB, project n ° 767/13. (AU)