



@article {3300,
	title = {Chitosan cross-linked docetaxel loaded EGF receptor targeted nanoparticles for lung cancer cells},
	journal = {International Journal of Biological Macromolecules},
	volume = {69},
	year = {2014},
	note = {Cited By (since 1996):1Export Date: 21 November 2014},
	month = {2014},
	pages = {532 - 541},
	abstract = {Lung cancer, associated with the up-regulated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) led to the development of EGFR targeted anticancer therapeutics. The biopolymeric nanoparticles form an outstanding system for the targeted delivery of therapeutic agents. The present work evaluated the in vitro effects of chitosan cross-linked γ-poly(glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) nanoparticles (Nps) loaded with docetaxel (DTXL) and decorated with Cetuximab (CET), targeted to EGFR over-expressing non-small-cell-lung-cancer (NSCLC) cells (A549). CET-DTXL-γ-PGA Nps was prepared by ionic gelation and CET conjugation via EDC/NHS chemistry. EGFR specificity of targeted Nps was confirmed by the higher uptake rates of EGFR +ve A549 cells compared to that of EGFR -ve cells (NIH3T3). The cytotoxicity of Nps quantified using cell based (MTT/LDH) and flowcytometry (Cell-cycle analysis, Annexin V/PI and JC-1) assays showed superior antiproliferative activity of CET-DTXL-γ-PGA Nps over DTXL-γ-PGA Nps. The A549 cells treated with CET-DTXL-γ-PGA NPs underwent a G2/M phase cell cycle arrest followed by reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential of A549 cells, inducing apoptosis and necrosis resulting in enhanced cancer cell death. CET-DTXL-γ-PGA Nps exhibited enhanced cellular internalization and therapeutic activity, by actively targeting EGFR on NSCLC cells and hence could be an effective alternative to non-specific, conventional chemotherapy by increasing its efficiency by many folds. {\textcopyright} 2014 Elsevier B.V.},
	keywords = {Cetuximab, chitosan, Epidermal growth factor receptor, Poly(γ-glutamic acid) nanoparticles, Targeted nanoparticles},
	url = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84903523289\&partnerID=40\&md5=728cbd3502e7922319f5f88fa8d6ec6d},
	author = {Maya, S. and Sarmento, B. and Lakshmanan, V.-K. and Menon, D. and Seabra, V. and Jayakumar, R.}
}
@article {3271,
	title = {An evaluation of the latest in vitro tools for drug metabolism studies},
	journal = {Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism and Toxicology},
	volume = {10},
	year = {2014},
	note = {Export Date: 21 November 2014},
	month = {2014},
	pages = {103 - 119},
	abstract = {Introduction: Drugs are indispensable for human welfare nevertheless there is a lack of safe drugs. Obtaining pharmacokinetics information, especially metabolism, is a requirement during preclinical and clinical drug development so that in vitro tools represent a simple path where it is possible to assess drug toxicity and predict drug safety in humans. Areas covered: This review covers the latest in vitro tools developed for assessing drug toxicity in different organs. A special focus is given to hepatic models, as it is the main organ responsible for drug metabolism and consequently bioactivation and detoxification reactions. Three-dimensional culture models have been widely developed, resembling in vivo-like conditions, and are also discussed in this review. Expert opinion: Several in vitro tools to assess hepatic drug metabolism have been developed, however, novel in vitro methods to investigate extra-hepatic drug metabolism still need to be improved. These methods are able to reduce the number of animal used in preclinical experiments, but in vivo tests are mandatory for drug approval and commercialization. {\textcopyright} 2014 Informa UK, Ltd.},
	keywords = {Hepatic metabolism, in vitro models, Intestinal metabolism, Pulmonary metabolism, Renal metabolism},
	url = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84890346695\&partnerID=40\&md5=24208bee91a909d1e0e4882b6f2da4b6},
	author = {Costa, A. and Sarmento, B. and Seabra, V.}
}
@article {3281,
	title = {Stability study perspective of the effect of freeze-drying using cryoprotectants on the structure of insulin loaded into PLGA nanoparticles},
	journal = {Biomacromolecules},
	volume = {15},
	year = {2014},
	note = {Export Date: 21 November 2014},
	month = {2014},
	pages = {3753 - 3765},
	abstract = {This work aimed to evaluate the influence of a freeze-drying process using different cryoprotectants on the structure of insulin loaded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles and to assess the stability of these nanoparticles upon 6 months of storage following ICH guidelines. Insulin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles with a size around 450 nm were dehydrated using a standard freeze-drying cycle, using trehalose, glucose, sucrose, fructose, and sorbitol at 10\% (w/v) as cryoprotectants. All formulations, except those nonadded of cryoprotectant and added with trehalose, collapsed after freeze-drying. The addition of cryoprotectants increased the nanoparticles stability upon storage. FTIR results showed that insulin maintained its structure after encapsulation in about 88\%, decreasing to 71\% after freeze-drying. The addition of cryoprotectants prior to freeze-drying increased insulin structural stability an average of up to 79\%. Formulations collapsed after freeze-drying showed better protein stabilization upon storage, in special sorbitol added formulation, preserving 76, 80, and 78\% of insulin structure at 4 {\textdegree}C, 25 {\textdegree}C/60\% RH, and 40 {\textdegree}C/75\% RH, respectively. Principal component analysis also showed that the sorbitol-added formulation showed the most similar insulin structural modifications among the tested storage conditions. These findings suggested that regarding nanoparticles stability, cryoprotectants are versatile to be used in a standard freeze-drying, however they present different performances on the stabilization of the loaded protein. Thus, on the freeze-drying of the nanoparticles field, this work gives rise to the importance of the process of optimization, searching for a balance between a good obtainable cake with an optimal structural stabilization of the loaded protein.},
	url = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84907968489\&partnerID=40\&md5=15b0a74cf97f04ed887f86b7ad1c45a2},
	author = {Fonte, P. and Soares, S. and Sousa, F. and Costa, A. and Seabra, V. and Reis, S. and Sarmento, B.}
}
@article {2845,
	title = {Effect of freeze-drying, cryoprotectants and storage conditions on the stability of secondary structure of insulin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles},
	journal = {International Journal of Pharmaceutics},
	volume = {456},
	year = {2013},
	note = {Export Date: 12 December 2013Source: Scopus},
	month = {2013///},
	pages = {370 - 381},
	url = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84886730036\&partnerID=40\&md5=2214d57803df6679f944d2ebba4fa477},
	author = {Soares, S. and Fonte, P. and Costa, A. and Andrade, J. and Seabra, V. and Ferreira, D. and Reis, S. and Sarmento, B.}
}
