Co-delivery of camptothecin and curcumin by cationic polymeric nanoparticles for synergistic colon cancer combination chemotherapy. Issue 39 (8th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xiao, Bo; Si, Xiaoying; Han, Moon Kwon; Viennois, Emilie; Zhang, Mingzhen; Merlin, Didier
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 3:Issue 39(2015)
• Page Start: 7724
• Page End: 7733
• Publication Date: 2015-09-08
• Subjects: Materials -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Biomedical materials -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c5tb01245g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-750X

Abstract

Abstract : Camptothecin (CPT) and curcumin (CUR) have been co-loaded into cationic polymeric nanoparticles and exhibited strong synergistic effects against colon cancer cells. Abstract : Nanoparticle (NP)-based combination chemotherapy has been proposed as a potent strategy for enhancing intracellular drug concentrations and achieving synergistic effects in colon cancer therapy. Here, we fabricated a series of chitosan-functionalized camptothecin (CPT)/curcumin (CUR)-loaded polymeric NPs with various weight ratios of CPT to CUR. The resultant cationic spherical CPT/CUR-NPs had a desirable particle size (193–224 nm), relatively narrow size distribution, and slightly positive zeta-potential. These NPs exhibited a simultaneous sustained release profile for both drugs throughout the study period with a slight, initial burst release. Subsequent cellular uptake experiments demonstrated that the introduction of chitosan to the NP surface markedly increased cellular-uptake efficiency compared with other drug formulations, and thus increased the intracellular drug concentrations. Importantly, the combined delivery of CPT and CUR in a single NP enhanced synergistic effects of the two drugs. Among the five cationic CPT/CUR-NPs tested, NPs with a CPT/CUR weight ratio of 4 : 1 showed the highest anticancer activity, resulting in a combination index of approximately 0.46. In summary, our study represents the first report of combinational application of CPT and CUR with a one-step-fabricated co-delivery system for effective colon cancer combination chemotherapy.