Enhanced antitumor efficacy of folate targeted nanoparticles co-loaded with docetaxel and curcumin

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy 2015-10, Vol.75, p.26-32
• Main Authors: Hu, Liandong, Pang, Saixi, Hu, Qiaofeng, Gu, Deliang, Kong, Dongqian, Xiong, Xiaoyun, Su, Jianying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - chemistry; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - pharmacology; Antitumor activity; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Curcumin; Curcumin - administration & dosage; Curcumin - chemistry; Curcumin - pharmacology; Docetaxel; Drug Carriers; Encapsulation; Folate; Folic Acid - chemistry; Folic Acid - metabolism; HeLa Cells; Humans; Internal Medicine; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Medical Education; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Nanomedicine - methods; Nanoparticles; Polyesters - chemistry; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Sarcoma 180 - drug therapy; Sarcoma 180 - metabolism; Sarcoma 180 - pathology; Solubility; Taxoids - administration & dosage; Taxoids - chemistry; Taxoids - pharmacology; Time Factors; Tumor Burden - drug effects
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2015.08.036

Abstract Background The current study aimed to investigate whether the novel folate (FT) modified nanoparticles (NPs) co-loaded with docetaxel (DT) and curcumin (CU) (named as FT-NPs) could enhance the delivery efficiency to tumor compared with the NPs without FT (non-targeted NPs). Methods FT-NPs were successfully formulated in this article. In vitro cytotoxic activity against A549 cells and in vivo antitumor activity of FT-NPs in S180 cell bearing mice were conducted. Cellular uptake test was used to evaluate uptake efficiency of FT-NPs. Histological observation was used to determine the lung security. Besides, the physical chemical properties such as stability, particle size, zeta potential, drug encapsulation efficiency, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were also conducted. Results FT-NPs exhibited stronger growth inhibition effects on A549 cells compared with non-targeted NPs, moreover, the novel FT-NPs indicated more effective antitumor efficacy in inhibiting tumor growth. Confocal laser scanning microscopy indicated that the uptake of FT-NPs was facilitated and effective. Histological observation meant that FT-NPs were biocompatible and appropriate for pulmonary administration. Conclusion These results confirmed that FT-NPs with relatively high drug loading capacity could effectively inhibit tumor growth and reduce toxicity. The novel FT-NPs could produce as an outstanding nanocarrier for the targeted treatment of cancers.