Biodegradable Polymersomes for the Delivery of Gemcitabine to Panc-1 Cells. (23rd June 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sood, Nimil; Jenkins, Walter T.; Yang, Xiang-Yang; Shah, Nikesh N.; Katz, Joshua S.; Koch, Cameron J.; Frail, Paul R.; Therien, Michael J.; Hammer, Daniel A.; Evans, Sydney M.
• Other Names: Gupta Umesh Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of pharmaceutics. Volume 2013(2013)
• Publication Date: 2013-06-23
• Subjects: Pharmaceutical industry -- Periodicals; Drug Industry; Technology, Pharmaceutical; Pharmaceutical industry; Periodicals; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/932797
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-9918

Abstract

Abstract : Traditional anticancer chemotherapy often displays toxic side effects, poor bioavailability, and a low therapeutic index. Targeting and controlled release of a chemotherapeutic agent can increase drug bioavailability, mitigate undesirable side effects, and increase the therapeutic index. Here we report a polymersome-based system to deliver gemcitabine to Panc-1 cells in vitro . The polymersomes were self-assembled from a biocompatible and completely biodegradable polymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(caprolactone), PEO-PCL. We showed that we can encapsulate gemcitabine within stable 200 nm vesicles with a 10% loading efficiency. These vesicles displayed a controlled release of gemcitabine with 60% release after 2 days at physiological pH. Upon treatment of Panc-1 cells in vitro, vesicles were internalized as verified with fluorescently labeled polymersomes. Clonogenic assays to determine cell survival were performed by treating Panc-1 cells with varying concentrations of unencapsulated gemcitabine (FreeGem) and polymersome-encapsulated gemcitabine (PolyGem) for 48 hours. 1 μ M PolyGem was equivalent in tumor cell toxicity to 1 μ M FreeGem, with a one log cell kill observed. These studies suggest that further investigation on polymersome-based drug formulations is warranted for chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer.