Redox- and light-responsive alginate nanoparticles as effective drug carriers for combinational anticancer therapy

Nanoscale. 2017 Mar 2;9(9):3304-3314. doi: 10.1039/c7nr00005g.

Abstract

Nanoparticles have been extensively explored as effective means to deliver chemotherapeutic agents or photosensitizers for chemotherapy or photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer. In the present work, pheophorbide A (PheoA), a hydrophobic photosensitizer, was conjugated via a redox-sensitive disulfide linkage to alginate (PheoA-ALG). Anticancer agent, doxorubicin (DOX), was also loaded within the PheoA-ALG nanoparticles (DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs) and used as drug carriers for combinational antitumor treatment. The DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs were spherical in shape with a uniform diameter of approximately 210 nm. Redox-responsive drug releasing properties were shown by the DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs, with an accelerated amount of DOX and PheoA release observed in the presence of a high glutathione level (10 mM). Cellular uptake results showed that DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs were readily taken up by B16 tumor cells (murine melanoma) and enhanced DOX and PheoA uptake were detectable in the DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs-treated B16 cells in comparison to carrier free drugs. DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs also elicited intracellular ROS generation, which leads to enhanced toxicity in B16 cells. In vivo studies using B16 tumor-bearing mice further demonstrated that DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs were preferentially accumulated in tumor tissues, resulting in substantial inhibition of B16 tumor growth by chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy, which is also attributable to DOX/PheoA-ALG NP-elicited increase of serum INF-λ levels. Our results demonstrate a major potential of DOX/PheoA-ALG NPs for combinational cancer therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Alginates*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Drug Carriers / radiation effects
  • Glucuronic Acid
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Light
  • Melanoma, Experimental
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Photochemotherapy
  • Photosensitizing Agents / administration & dosage

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Drug Carriers
  • Hexuronic Acids
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Doxorubicin
  • Glucuronic Acid