Deck 8: Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Tumor Drug Delivery and Imaging

Question 1

Which of the following problems are usually found in parenteral formulation of anti-cancer drugs?

A) High solubility of anti-cancer drugs
B) Aggregation upon intravenous administration
C) Toxicity related to the use of certain co-solvents or surfactants
D) Non-specific drug-exposure to healthy tissues
E) Long plasma half-lives

Answer 1

B,C,D,E

Question 2

Which of the following are common characteristics of liposomes?

A) Liposomes are monolayered lipid vesicles that have been used as drug delivery systems for more than 30 years.
B) Liposomes are bilayered lipid vesicles that have been used as drug delivery systems for more than 30 years.
C) Liposome are often composed of fatty acids and cholesterol
D) Liposome are often composed of phospholipids and cholesterol
E) Liposomes are prepared using biocompatible lipids and possess a low toxicity profile.
F) The structure of liposomes allows the incorporation of hydrophilic drugs in their hydrophilic core as well as hydrophobic drugs in the hydrophobic lipid bilayer.
G) Liposomes can be loaded only with water-soluble drugs

Answer 2

B,D,E,F

Question 3

Which of the following are common characteristics of micelles?

A) Similar to liposomes,micelles are bilayered lipid vesicles but with smaller sizes.
B) Micelles are formed by thermodynamically favored aggregation of amphiphiles at or below Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC).
C) Micelles are formed by thermodynamically favored aggregation of amphiphiles at or above Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC).
D) The CMC is a measure describing the physical properties of the micelle and refers to the micelle's stability.

Answer 3

B,C,D

Question 4

The suitability of a specific nanocarrier or the location of the drug within the nanocarrier depends on:

A) Potency/efficacy
B) Degradability
C) Molecular weight
D) Solubility
E) Charge of the drug
F) Organoleptic characteristics

Question 5

Which of the following nanocarriers can adsorb or encapsulate drugs?

A) Liposomes
B) Micelles
C) Nanoparticles
D) Drug-protein conjugates
E) Polyplexes,lipoplexes,dendriplexes

Question 6

Which of the following are characteristic features of tumor microenvironment?

A) Hypoxia
B) Low pH
C) Inefficient lymphatic drainage
D) Leaky and hypermeable vasculature
E) Fast blood flow
F) Low interstitial pressure
G) Increased number of overexpressed receptors in cancer cells as compared to normal ones

Question 7

To take advantage of the peculiarities of solid tumors,multifunctional nanocarriers can be modified with different moieties to perform multiple functions. Please match the following moieties with their function.
___ PEG

A) Tumor Imaging
B) Passive Targeting
C) Redox Sensitive
D) Enhanced intracellular delivery
E) Active Targeting

Question 8

To take advantage of the peculiarities of solid tumors,multifunctional nanocarriers can be modified with different moieties to perform multiple functions. Please match the following moieties with their function.
___ Folate

A) Tumor Imaging
B) Passive Targeting
C) Redox Sensitive
D) Enhanced intracellular delivery
E) Active Targeting

Question 9

To take advantage of the peculiarities of solid tumors,multifunctional nanocarriers can be modified with different moieties to perform multiple functions. Please match the following moieties with their function.
___ Disulfide bond containing-lipids or -polymers

A) Tumor Imaging
B) Passive Targeting
C) Redox Sensitive
D) Enhanced intracellular delivery
E) Active Targeting

Question 10

To take advantage of the peculiarities of solid tumors,multifunctional nanocarriers can be modified with different moieties to perform multiple functions. Please match the following moieties with their function.
___ RGD

A) Tumor Imaging
B) Passive Targeting
C) Redox Sensitive
D) Enhanced intracellular delivery
E) Active Targeting

Question 11

To take advantage of the peculiarities of solid tumors,multifunctional nanocarriers can be modified with different moieties to perform multiple functions. Please match the following moieties with their function.
___ Gadolinium

A) Tumor Imaging
B) Passive Targeting
C) Redox Sensitive
D) Enhanced intracellular delivery
E) Active Targeting

Question 12

Which of the following statements are true about conjugation polymers and ligands to nanocarrier's surface?

A) Conjugation of proteins or polymers can proceed covalently and non-covalently
B) Reactive thiol-groups are preferred in protein bioconjugation because they are less ubiquitous than carboxylic ones
C) Activation of carboxylic groups can drive protein-to protein crosslinking
D) Protein-to protein crosslinking often increases the binding activity of proteins attached to the nanocarrier.
E) Proteins and polymers capped with lipidic moieties can be easily adsorbed in the hydrophobic surface of nanoparticles or in liposome membranes

Question 13

Which of the following ligands can be attached to the surface of the nanocarriers to provide active targeting towards tumors?

A) anti-HER-2 mAb (monoclonal antibody)
B) Folate
C) PEG
D) Cy5.5
E) anti-EGFR Fab' (mAb fragments)

Question 14

Which of the following statements are true about PEG?

A) PEG stands for Polyethyleneglycol
B) The most common method for prolonging the circulation and improving the biocompatibility of nanocarriers is to cover their surface with hydrophilic polymers,such as polyethylene glycol (PEG).
C) Introduction of PEG blocks in nanocarriers decreases their opsonization and their clearance by MPS (mononuclear phagocyte system).
D) Despite its wide use in drug delivery,PEG is not approved by the FDA
E) In addition to its protective function,PEG is often used as a spacer arm to attach ligands to nanocarriers

Question 15

Increasing the solubility of poorly soluble chemotherapeutics with traditional formulation leads to toxicity and side effects.

Question 16

EPR effect is the limiting barrier for tumor drug delivery.

Question 17

Site-specific therapy is possible because of the presence of an increased number of overexpressed receptors on tumor cells when compared to normal cells.

Question 18

Passive targeting approaches are feasible due to EPR effect.

Question 19

PEG is used as an intracellular delivery moiety on different nanocarriers.

Question 20

Ultrasound,magnetic field,temperature and light are Local/external stimuli sensitivity

Question 21

Opsonization is the interaction of nanocarriers with the cell membrane.

Question 22

Passive tumor targeting relies on the EPR phenomenon.

Question 23

To benefit from EPR effect,nanocarriers should have a long-circulating property.

Question 24

Temperature-sensitive liposomes frequently include dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) as a key component.

Question 25

The overall slightly positive charge of the nanocarrier facilitates the interaction of the particle with proteoglycans responsible for the negative charge on the cell surface.

Question 26

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) are short peptides that facilitate cellular uptake of various molecular cargos.

Question 27

CPP-mediated transport of large molecules and nanoparticles has been reported to occur via energy-dependent routes.

Question 28

Mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) is primarily responsible for nanocarrier clearance from body.

Question 29

What features of nanocarriers enhance the efficacy of cancer drug delivery?

Question 30

What type of drugs can be encapsulated into nanocarriers?

Question 31

Name one of the strategies used to extend the half-life of the delivery system without imparting the elimination phase?

Question 32

What are the elimination sites (organs) of the nanocarrier from the body?

Question 33

What are the structural differences between solid tumor site and normal tissues?

Question 34

What is the EPR effect (enhanced permeability and retention effect)?

Question 35

What is the common method to prolong circulation of nanocarriers?

Question 36

Define passive and active targeting.

Question 37

What are some of the local condition/stimuli that can be used to trigger release of cargo from multifunctional nanocarriers?