Abstract: Various oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions containing an oil phase or oil core, preferably selected from vitamin E or oleic acid, stabilized by a sphingolipid of the sphingomyelin type, and optionally other lipids such as phospholipids, cholesterol, octadecylamine, DOTAP (N-[1-(2,3-Dioleoyloxy) propyl]-N, N, N-trimethylammonium methyl-sulfate), and PEGylated derivatives (derivatives with polyethylene glycol), for use as a nanotech vehicle, for example for the management of cancer and metastatic disease. Said nanoemulsions can be functionalized with ligands capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the cell membrane of tumor cells, and in particular capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the membrane of primary and/or disseminated or metastatic tumor cells. Also, antitumor drugs or therapeutic biomolecules can be encapsulated in said nanoemulsions and, finally, contrast agents can be incorporated for their use in the in vivo diagnosis in said nanoemulsions.

Abstract: In the present invention, the development of various oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions containing an oil phase or oil core, preferably selected from vitamin E or oleic acid, stabilized by a sphingolipid of the sphingomyelin type, and optionally other lipids such as phospholipids, cholesterol, octadecylamine, DOTAP (N-[1-(2,3-Dioleoyloxy) propyl]-N, N, N-trimethylammonium methyl-sulfate), and PEGylated derivatives (derivatives with polyethylene glycol), for use as a nanotech vehicle, in particular for the management of cancer and metastatic disease, is herein described. Said nanoemulsions can be functionalized with ligands capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the cell membrane of tumor cells, and in particular capable of interacting or binding to receptors expressed on the membrane of primary and/or disseminated or metastatic tumor cells.

Abstract: In the present invention, the use of the TAS1R3 receptor as a biomarker for application in cancer diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy is described for the first time. In this sense, the authors of the present invention have demonstrated that TAS1R3 is a biomarker of interest in oncology, useful for the diagnosis of the disease, and capable of providing relevant information thereupon, to monitor the evolution, select the treatment, and selectively direct therapeutic molecules. It has been determined that it is possible to identify therapies against this receptor, and that it is also possible to direct conjugates and controlled release systems of drugs, such as nanoparticles, observing a very effective intracellular accumulation thereof in primary, disseminated and metastatic tumor cells. On the other hand, the presence of TAS1R3 in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has also been demonstrated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nanoparticulate system useful for the delivery of pharmacologically active molecules, and especially for transfecting polynucleotides into cells. It comprises nanoparticles of chitosan of low molecular weight and hyaluronan.