title: Structurally engineered anodic alumina nanotubes as nano-carriers for delivery of anticancer therapeutics.
abstract: Here, we report a study on the biocompatibility, cell uptake and in vitro delivery of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (Apo2L/TRAIL) by new nano-carriers called anodic alumina nanotubes (AANTs) for potential cancer therapy. AANTs were electrochemically engineered by a unique pulse anodization process, which enables precise control of the nanotube geometry, and used here as nano-carriers for drug delivery. In vitro cytotoxicity and cell uptake of AANTs was assessed using MDA-MB231-TXSA human breast cancer cells and mouse RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. AANTs exhibited excellent biocompatibility in both cell lines over a time course of five days even at a maximum concentration of AANTs of 100 μgmL(-1). Transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy confirmed a significant uptake of AANTs by RAW 264.7 cells and breast cancer cells. AANTs loaded with the pro-apoptotic protein Apo2L/TRAIL showed exceptional loading capacity (104 ± 14.4 μgmg(-1) of AANTs) and demonstrated significant decrease in viability of MDA-MB231-TXSA cancer cells due to apoptosis induction. These results demonstrate that AANTs are promising nano-carriers for drug delivery applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Abel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Gagandeep
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Discipline of Surgery, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evdokiou
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Electronic address: dusan.losic@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Losic
mesh_terms: D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; D000537:Aluminum Oxide
keywords: Anodic alumina nanotubes; Breast cancer; Protein/drug delivery; Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)