O-stearoyl mannose (M-C18), and 4-(N)-stearoyl gemcitabine
(GemC18) were synthesized as previously described (27 (link), 29 (link), 30 (link)). Nile Red, bicinchoninic acid (BCA)
kit, and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) were
from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). D-(+)-mannose was from TCI America
(Portland, OR). Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), analytical grade tetrahydrofuran
(THF) and methanol were from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA, USA). Mouse
macrophages (J774A.1), lung (LLC and TC-1), melanoma (B16–F10), and
pancreatic (Panc-02) tumor cell lines were from the American Type Culture
Collection (Manassas, VA). The M-Wnt mouse mammary tumor cells were generously
provided by Dr. Stephen D. Hursting at the University of North Carolina, Chapel
Hill. All cells were maintained in DMEM medium except the M-Wnt and TC-1 cells,
which were cultured in PRMI1640 medium (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). The media
were supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 U/mL of penicillin, 100
μg/mL of streptomycin, all from Invitrogen.