Co-Delivery of Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel in cRGD-Modified Long Circulating Nanoparticles with Asymmetric Lipid Layers for Breast Cancer Treatment

Molecules

Qian Zou¹  Ying Luo¹  Xinli Liang¹  Jing Zhang¹  Jianjiang Fu¹  Peng Zhang¹  Yi Jin²  Xiang Li³ 

[1] Key Laboratory of Modern Preparation of TCM, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, China;National Pharmaceutical Engineering Center for Solid Preparation in Chinese Herbal Medicine, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, China;State Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug and Efficient Energy-Saving Pharmaceutical Equipment, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330006, China;

关键词: paclitaxel;    gemcitabine monophosphate;    cyclic RGD;    pharmacokinetics;    antitumor efficacy;   

DOI  :  10.3390/molecules23112906

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Combination chemotherapy is a common clinical practice in cancer treatment. Here, cyclic RGD (arginylglycylaspartic acid) peptide was introduced to the surface of lipid/calcium/phosphate (LCP) asymmetric lipid layer nanoparticles for the co-delivery of paclitaxel (PTX) and gemcitabine monophosphate (GMP) (P/G-NPs). The sphere-like morphology of P/G-NPs displays a well-distributed particle size, and high entrapment efficiency and drug loading for both PTX and GMP, with a positive zeta potential. P/G-NPs were stable for up to 15 days. The cellular uptake of these cyclic RGD-modified nanoparticles was significantly higher than that of unmodified nanoparticles over 2 h incubation. Compared with the combination of free PTX and GMP (P/G-Free), P/G-NPs exhibited a longer circulation lifetime and improved absorption for PTX and GMP. Polyethylene glycol was responsible for a higher plasma concentration and a decreased apparent volume of distribution (V_z). Nanoparticles enhanced the drug accumulation in tumors compared with other major organs after 24 h. P/G-NPs nearly halted tumor growth, with little evidence of general toxicity, whereas P/G-Free had only a modest inhibitory effect at 16 mg/kg of GMP and 2.0 mg/kg of PTX. Increased levels of apoptosis within tumors were detected in P/G-NPs group by approximately 43.6% (TUNEL assay). When compared with GMP NPs, PTX NPs, and P/G-Free, P/G-NPs decreased expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 and B-cell lymphoma-extra large proteins, and increased expression of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase-1. Calreticulin expression in tumors also increased upon the co-delivery of PTX and GMP. The antitumor effect of P/G-NPs is more powerful than P/G-Free, GMP NP, or PTX NP alone, without obvious toxicity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown