Transferrin Decorated Thermoresponsive Nanogels as Magnetic Trap Devices for Circulating Tumor Cells

Abstract

A rational design of magnetic capturing nanodevices, based on a specifi c interaction withcirculating tumor cells (CTCs), can advance the capturing effi ciency and initiate the developmentof modern smart nanoformulations for rapid isolation and detection of these CTCsfrom the bloodstream. Therefore, the development and evaluation of magnetic nanogels(MNGs) based on magnetic nanoparticles and linear thermoresponsive polyglycerol forthe capturing of CTCs with overexpressed transferrin (Tf + )receptors has been presented in this study. The MNGs aresynthesized using a strain-promoted ?click? approachwhich has allowed the in situ surface decoration withTf?polyethylene glycol (PEG) ligands of three different PEGchain lengths as targeting ligands. An optimal value ofaround 30% of cells captures is achieved with a linker ofeight ethylene glycol units. This study shows the potentialof MNGs for the capture of CTCs and the necessity of precisecontrol over the linkage of the targeting moiety to thecapturing device.