Researcher: Erkoç, Pelin
Loading...
Name Variants
Erkoç, Pelin
Email Address
Birth Date
5 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Publication Metadata only Targeting cancer cells via tumor-homing peptide CREKA functional PEG nanoparticles(Elsevier, 2016) N/A; N/A; N/A; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Okur, Aysu Ceren; Erkoç, Pelin; Kızılel, Seda; Master Student; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; 28376Targeting cell microenvironment via nano-particle based therapies holds great promise for treatment of various diseases. One of the main challenges in targeted delivery of nanoparticles for cancer therapy includes reduced localization of delivery vehicles at tumor site. The therapeutic efficacy of drugs can be improved by recruiting delivery vehicles towards specific region of tumorigenesis in the body. Here, we demonstrate an effective approach in creating PEG particles via water-in-water emulsion technique where tumor-homing peptide CREKA was used for functionalization. Simultaneous conjugation of laminin peptide IKVAV into hydrogel network and influence of altered combinations of ligands on intracellular uptake of anticancer drugs by HeLa cells were investigated. CREKA conjugated hydrogel nanoparticles were more effective to improve apoptotic effects of the model drug Doxorubicin (DOX) compared to that of particles conjugated with other peptides. Fluorescence intensity analysis on confocal micrographs suggested significantly higher cellular uptake of CREKA conjugated PEG particles than internalization of nanoparticles in other groups. We observed that fibrin binding ability of PEG particles could be increased up to 94% through CREKA conjugation. Our results suggest the possibility of cancer cell targeting via CREKA-functional PEG nanoparticles.Publication Metadata only Quinacrine mediated sensitization of glioblastoma (GBM) cells to TRAIL through MMP-sensitive PEG hydrogel carriers(Wiley-V C H Verlag Gmbh, 2017) N/A; N/A; N/A; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Erkoç, Pelin; Cingöz, Ahmet; Önder, Tuğba Bağcı; Kızılel, Seda; PhD Student; Researcher; Faculty Membe; Faculty Member; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Health Sciences; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; 184359; 28376Overcoming drug resistance is a major challenge for cancer therapy. Tumor necrosis factor alpha-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent therapeutic as an activator of apoptosis, particularly in tumor but not in healthy cells. However, its efficacy is limited by the resistance of tumor cell populations to the therapeutic substance. Here, we have addressed this limitation through the development of a controlled release system, matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-sensitive and arg-gly-asp-ser (RGDS) peptide functionalized poly (ethylene-glycol) (PEG) particles which are synthesized via visible-light-induced water-in-water emulsion polymerization. Quinacrine (QC), a recently discovered TRAIL sensitizer drug, is loaded into the hydrogel carriers and the influence of this system on the apoptosis of a malignant type of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), has been investigated in detail. The results suggest that MMP-sensitive particles are cytocompatible and superior to promote TRAIL-induced apoptosis in GBM cells when loaded with QC. Compared to QC and TRAIL alone, combination of QC-loaded PEG hydrogel and TRAIL demonstrates synergistic apoptotic inducing behavior. Furthermore, QC-loaded particles, but not QC or PEG-hydrogels alone, enhance apoptosis as is measured through expression of apoptosis-related genes. This system is promising to significantly improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs and suggests a combination treatment for GBM therapy.Publication Metadata only Nanogel-integrated pH-responsive composite hydrogels for controlled drug delivery(Amer Chemical Soc, 2017) Hashimoto, Yoshihide; Sasaki, Yoshihiro; Akiyosh, Kazunari; N/A; N/A; N/A; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Cinay, Günce Ezgi; Erkoç, Pelin; Alipour, Mohammad; Kızılel, Seda; Master Student; PhD Student; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; N/A; 28376A novel pH-sensitive hydrogel system consisting of poly(methacrylic acid-g-ethylene glycol) (P(MAA-gEG)) and acryloyl group modified-cholesterol-bearing pullulan (CHPOA) nanogels was developed for the controlled delivery of an anticonvulsant drug, pregabalin (PGB). Here, the hydrophilic hydrogel network provides the pH-sensitive swelling behavior, whereas nanogel components form separate reservoirs for the delivery of drugs with different hydro-phobicities. These nanocarrier-integrated hybrid gels were synthesized through both surface-initiated and bulk photo polymerization approaches. The swelling and drug release behavior of these pH-responsive hydrogels synthesized by different photopolymerization approaches at visible and UV light wavelenghts were studied at acidic and basic pH values. Nanogel-integrated hydrogels exhibited higher swelling behavior compared to plain hydrogels in reversible swelling experiments. Similarly, the presence of nanogels in hydrogel network enhanced the loading and release percentages of PGB and the release was analyzed to describe the mode of transport through the network. In vitro cytotoxicity assay suggests that hydrogels in altered groups are nontoxic. This is the first report about the visible light-induced synthesis of a pH-responsive network incorporated CHPOA nanogels. Responsive and multifunctional properties of this system could be used for pH-triggered release of therapeutic molecules for clinical applications.Publication Metadata only Gelatin methacryloyl hydrogels in the absence of a crosslinker as 3D glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)-mimetic microenvironment(Wiley-V C H Verlag Gmbh, 2018) N/A; N/A; N/A; N/A; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Erkoç, Pelin; Şeker-Polat, Fidan; Önder, Tuğba Bağcı; Kızılel, Seda; PhD Student; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Faculty Member; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Health Sciences; School of Medicine; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; 184359; 283763D platforms are important for monitoring tumor progression and screening drug candidates to eradicate tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a malignant type of human brain tumor. Here, a new strategy is reported that exploits visible-light-induced crosslinking of gelatin where the reaction is carried out in the absence of an additional crosslinker. Visible light-induced crosslinking promotes the design of cancer microenvironment-mimetic system without compromising the cell viability during the process and absence of crosslinker facilitates the synthesis of the unique construct. Suspension and spheroid-based models of GBM are used to investigate cellular behavior, expression profiles of malignancy, and apoptosis-related genes within this unique network. Furthermore, sensitivity to an anticancer drug, Digitoxigenin, treatment is investigated in detail. The data suggest that U373 cells, in sparse or spheroid form, have significantly decreased expressions of apoptosis-activating genes, Bad, Puma, and Caspase-3, and a high expression of prosurvival Bcl-2 gene within GelMA hydrogels. Matrix-metalloproteinase genes are also upregulated within GelMA, suggesting positive contribution of gels on extracellular remodeling of cancer cells. This unique photocurable gelatin holds great potential for clinical translation of cancer research through the analysis of 3D malignant cancer cell behavior, and hence for more efficient treatment methods for GBM.Publication Metadata only Targeting cancer cells via tumor-homing, peptide CREKA functional PEG nanoparticles(Elsevier Science Bv, 2016) N/A; N/A; N/A; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Okur, Aysu Ceren; Erkoç, Pelin; Kızılel, Seda; Master Student; PhD Student; Faculty Member; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; Graduate School of Sciences and Engineering; College of Engineering; N/A; N/A; 28376Targeting cell microenvironment via nano-particle based therapies holds great promise for the treatment of various diseases. One of the main challenges in targeted delivery of nanoparticles for cancer therapy is the reduced localization of delivery vehicles to the tumor site. The therapeutic efficacy of drugs can be improved by recruiting delivery vehicles towards specific region of tumorigenesis in the body. Here, we demonstrate an effective approach in creating PEG particles via water-in-water emulsion technique with a tumor-homing peptide CREKA functionalization. The CREKA conjugated hydrogel nanoparticles were found to be more effective at inducing Doxorubicin (DOX)-mediated apoptosis compared to that of particles conjugated with laminin peptide IKVAV. Fluorescence intensity analysis on confocal micrographs suggested significantly higher cellular uptake of CREKA conjugated PEG particles than internalization of nanoparticles in other groups. We observed that fibrin binding ability of PEG particles could be increased up to 94% through CREKA conjugation. Our results suggest the possibility of cancer cell targeting via CREKA-functional PEG nanoparticles.