Double-layered hyaluronic acid/stearic acid-modified polyethyleneimine nanoparticles encapsulating (-)-gossypol: a nanocarrier for chiral anticancer drugs

作者:Liu Hao; Li Ke; Lan Lan; Ma Jingwen; Zeng Yun; Xu Liang; Wu Daocheng*
来源:Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 2014, 2(32): 5238-5248.
DOI:10.1039/c4tb00539b

摘要

This study aimed to enhance the water solubility and antitumor efficacy of (-)-gossypol. Polyethyleneimine conjugated with stearic acid (PgS) was used for loading and protecting (-)-gossypol by hydrogen bonding. Double-layered hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified PgS nanoparticles encapsulating (-)-gossypol [(-)-G-PgSHAs1 were prepared through a two-step fabrication process. The nanoparticles possessed a uniform spherical shape with a dynamic size of 110.9 +/- 2.4 nm, which was determined through transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading capacity of (-)-G-PgSHAs were 72.6% +/- 3.1% and 9.1% +/- 0.42%, respectively. The IR spectra of the samples confirmed the protection effect of hydrogen bonding on the optical activity of the encapsulated (-)-gossypol. (-)-G-PgSHAs exhibited a controlled and tumor-specific release because of the high expression of HAase in the tumor region. The tumor-targeting feature of PgSHAs due to HA receptor mediation was confirmed by in vitro cell uptake and in vivo near infrared fluorescence imaging. The in vitro test showed that the (-)-G-PgSHAs had similar cytotoxicity to free (-)-gossypol and was lower than that of the encapsulated (+/-)-gossypol [(+/-)-G-PgSHAs]. The in vivo study of the anti-cancer effect of (-)-G-PgSHAs revealed that (-)-G-PgSHAs had a more enhanced tumor-suppression effect and reduced systemic toxicity compared with free (-)-gossypol and (+/-)-G-PgSHAs (P < 0.05). Therefore, PgSHA was a useful (-)-gossypol nanocarrier that exhibits high biocompatibility, tunable release of drug, and tumor-targeting characteristics for cancer treatment. In addition, this double-layered nanocarrier provided novel strategies for the encapsulation of other chiral drugs.