A New Carbon Nanotube-Based Breast Cancer Drug Delivery System: Preparation and In Vitro Analysis Using Paclitaxel.
Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of the most important drugs for breast cancer; however, the drug effects are limited by its systematic toxicity and poor water solubility. Nanoparticles have been applied for delivery of cancer drugs to overcome their limitations. Toward this goal, a novel single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-based drug delivery system was developed by conjugation of human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles for loading of antitumor agent PTX. The nanosized macromolecular SWNT-drug carrier (SWNT-HSA) was characterized by TEM, UV-Vis-NIR spectrometry, and TGA. The SWNT-based drug carrier displayed high intracellular delivery efficiency (cell uptake rate of 80%) in breast cancer MCF-7 cells, as examined by fluorescence-labeled drug carriers, suggesting the needle-shaped SWNT-HSA drug carrier was able to transport drugs across cell membrane despite its macromolecular structure. The drug loading on SWNT-based drug carrier was through high binding affinity of PTX to HSA proteins. The PTX formulated with SWNT-HSA showed greater growth inhibition activity in MCF-7 breast cancer cells than PTX formulated with HSA nanoparticle only (cell viability of 63 vs 70% in 48 h and 53 vs 62% in 72 h). The increased drug efficacy could be driven by SWNT-mediated cell internalization. These data suggest that the developed SWNT-based antitumor agent is functional and effective. However, more studies for in vivo drug delivery efficacy and other properties are needed before this delivery system can be fully realized.
Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.
Wei
W
Shao
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Learned Hall 1530 W 15th St, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.
Arghya
A
Paul
Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada.
Laetitia
L
Rodes
Biomedical Technology and Cell Therapy Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, 3775 University Street, Montreal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada. satya.prakash@mcgill.ca.
Satya
S
Prakash
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004355:Drug Stability; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D017239:Paclitaxel
Breast cancer therapy; Carbon nanotubes; Human serum albumin; Paclitaxel; Targeted drug delivery