title: Preparation, physicochemical characterization and cytotoxicity in vitro of gemcitabine-loaded PEG-PDLLA nanovesicles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the preparation, physicochemical characterization and cytotoxicity in vitro of Gemcitabine-loaded poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactide) (PEG-PDLLA) nanovesicles.
  
  
  METHODS
  The nanovesicle carriers were prepared from the amphiphilic block copolymer of PEG-PDLLA by a double emulsion technique, and gemcitabine was used as the model drug. The morphology of the nanovesicles was determined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and the drug content, drug entrapment and drug-release curve in vitro were detected by UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometry. Cytotoxicity in the human pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 was tested by 3-(4,5-dimethyl) ethiazole (MTT) assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gemcitabine-loaded nanovesicles were hollow nanospheres with a mean size of 200.6 nm, drug loading of 4.14% and drug embedding ratio of 20.54%. The nanovesicles showed excellent controlled release that was characterized by a fast initial release during the first 72 h, followed by a slower and continuous release. The MTT assay demonstrated that gemcitabine-loaded nanovesicles exhibited dose-dependent and time-delayed cytotoxicity in the human pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gemcitabine-loaded PEG-PDLLA nanovesicles prepared by a double emulsion technique exhibited good performance for controlled drug release, and had similar cytotoxic activity to free gemcitabine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Guangzhou First Municipal People's Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical College, No. 1 Panfu Road, Guangzhou 510180, Guangdong Province, China. jialin@medmail.com.cn
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Shu-Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Kai-Hong
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008422:Materials Testing; D049329:Nanostructures; D010316:Particle Size; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004655:Emulsions; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C033616:poly(lactide); D000093542:Gemcitabine