title: Novel PEG-coated niosomes based on bola-surfactant as drug carriers for 5-fluorouracil.
abstract: Innovative niosomes made up of α,ω-hexadecyl-bis-(1-aza-18-crown-6) (bola), Span 80® and cholesterol (2:5:2 molar ratio) are proposed as suitable delivery systems for the administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), an antitumoral compound largely used in the treatment of breast cancer. The bola-niosomes, after sonication procedure, showed mean sizes of ~200 nm and a loading capacity of ~40% with respect to the amount of 5-FU added during the preparation. Similar findings were achieved with PEG-coated bola-niosomes (bola, Span 80(R), cholesterol, DSPE-mPEG2000, 2:5:2:0.1 molar ratio respectively). 5-FU-loaded PEG-coated and uncoated bola-niosomes were tested on MCF-7 and T47D cells. Both bola-niosome formulations provided an increase in the cytotoxic effect with respect to the free drug. Confocal laser scanning microscopy studies were carried out to evaluate both the extent and the time-dependent bola-niosome-cell interaction. In vivo experiments on MCF-7 xenograft tumor SCID mice models showed a more effective antitumoral activity of the PEGylated niosomal 5-FU at a concentration ten times lower (8 mg/kg) than that of the free solution of the drug (80 mg/kg) after a treatment of 30 days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacobiological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University "Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, Campus Universitario "Salvatore Venuta", Building of BioSciences, Viale Europa, 88100 Germaneto, CZ, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cosco
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paolino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muzzalupo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Celia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Citraro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Caponio
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Picci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fresta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001372:Aza Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D002214:Capsules; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D043844:Crown Ethers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D051379:Mice; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001372:Aza Compounds; D002214:Capsules; D043844:Crown Ethers; D008081:Liposomes; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C576993:alpha,omega-hexadecyl-bis-(1-aza-18-crown-6); D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D005472:Fluorouracil