title: Anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres based on biodegradable amphiphilic ε-caprolactone and carbonate copolymers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate anticancer drug-loaded poly(carbonate-ester) nanospheres as potential drug delivery systems for cancer therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Functional poly(carbonate-ester) copolymers (HPCP-SD) were synthesized by the incorporation of sulfadiazine as the tumor-targeting groups to hydroxyl groups of poly(carbonate-ester) copolymers. Two types of anticancer drug-loaded poly(carbonate-ester) nanospheres I and II were further prepared by dialysis method and high-voltage electrostatic field-assisted atomization, respectively, using HPCP-SD as polymeric carriers. These carriers and anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres were characterized, and their properties in vitro and in vivo were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  These anticancer drug-loaded poly(carbonate-ester) nanospheres had steady drug release rates and good controlled release properties. Moreover, anticancer drug-loaded poly(carbonate-ester) nanospheres II had faster drug release rates than those of anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres I. These anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres possessed lower cytotoxicity to HEK 293 cells and exhibited obviously higher anticancer efficiencies to the HeLa tumor cells than that of 5-fluorouracil. Anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres I possessed lower cytotoxicity to HEK 293 cells and higher anticancer activity to HeLa cells than those of anticancer drug-loaded nanospheres II.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These anticancer drug-loaded poly(carbonate-ester) nanospheres showed the potential as drug delivery systems for cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: School of Material Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, China. guopyan2006@163.com
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Rong-Feng
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Zong
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiang-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002208:Caproates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002254:Carbonates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002460:Cell Line; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D053758:Nanoparticles; D011108:Polymers / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D002208:Caproates; D002254:Carbonates; D004337:Drug Carriers; D007783:Lactones; D011108:Polymers; C121056:caprolactone