title: Surface functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles as an effective carrier for epirubicin delivery to cancer cells.
abstract: Recent studies with inorganic nanoparticles modified with functional groups have demonstrated improvement in drug delivery into cancer cells. In the present study, we prepared, characterized, and evaluated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) as carriers for epirubicin hydrochloride (EPI) in order to improve the antitumor efficacy of this drug. MSNs were prepared and functionalized with phosphonate, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyethylenimine-polyethylene glycol (PEI-PEG) groups. Different nanoparticulate formulations were loaded with EPI. The in vitro cytotoxicity and the in vivo antitumor efficacy of MSNs containing EPI were evaluated versus free EPI. The EPI release from nanoparticles was shown to be pH-dependent. The size of MSNs functionalized with polyethyleneimine-polyethylene glycol (MSN-PEI-PEG) was 123.8 ± 4.8 nm. This formulation showed the best antitumor effects at an EPI dose of 9 mg/kg in C-26 colon carcinoma model. The biodistribution results proved that MSN-PEI-PEG-EPI had a higher tumor accumulation compared to free EPI, 3h after drug administration. The results indicated that this formulation could be effective nanocarriers for anti-tumor therapies.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Yahya
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hanafi-Bojd
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jaafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Navid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramezanian
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamadreza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shahtahmassebi
authors.affiliation: Nanotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: malaekehb@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Bizhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Malaekeh-Nikouei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D015251:Epirubicin; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011094:Polyethyleneimine
keywords: Biodistribution; Cancer treatment; Epirubicin; In vivo study; Lyophilization; Mesoporous silica nanoparticles