Folate-bearing doxorubicin-loaded magnetic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microspheres as a new strategy for cancer therapy.
Doxorubicin is a classic anticancer agent. Recently, numerous strategies have been used to enhance efficacy of drug delivery for cancer treatment. For example, by modifying poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microspheres, a nanocarrier, makes it more effective. Conjugation with folic acid increases specific targeted drug delivery towards folate receptor-bearing cancer cells to improve anticancer effectiveness by increasing the tissue's local concentration of drugs. In the current studies, we synthesized folate-bearing, doxorubicin-loaded, magnetic, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microspheres (FDMPM) to treat breast cancer cells (human SKBR-3). We found efficiency of drug encapsulation very high (95%) at pH above 7.4. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that cancer cells highly expressed folate receptors. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry revealed internalization of the carrier by SKBR-3 in treatments with FDMPM, which was not the case with any other combination for drug delivery (MPM, FMPM, and DMPM). Similarly, SKBR-3 cell growth was inhibited more (assessed by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide and trypan blue exclusion assays) when treated with FDMPM than with any other combinations. Current results confirm our predication and demonstrate that FDMPM has potential as a new targeting strategy in cancer therapy.
Sun
Yong
Y
Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.
Chen
Libo
L
Yu
Jerry
J
Zhi
Xiuling
X
Tang
Shaoxian
S
Zhou
Ping
P
Wang
Changchun
C
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008280:Magnetics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008863:Microspheres; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; C052970:poly-N-isopropylacrylamide; D004317:Doxorubicin; D005492:Folic Acid