Gemcitabine delivered by fucoidan/chitosan nanoparticles presents increased toxicity over human breast cancer cells

• Published in: Nanomedicine (London, England) Vol. 13; no. 16; pp. 2037 - 2050
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Catarina, Neves, Nuno M, Reis, Rui L, Martins, Albino, Silva, Tiago H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.08.2018
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Agents - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Breast cancer; breast cancer cells; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Cancer therapies; Cell Line; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival - drug effects; chitosan; Chitosan - chemistry; Cytotoxicity; Deoxycytidine - administration & dosage; Deoxycytidine - analogs & derivatives; Deoxycytidine - chemistry; Deoxycytidine - pharmacology; Drug delivery systems; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; drug-delivery system; Drugs; endothelial cells; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; fucoidan; gemcitabine; Humans; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; polyelectrolyte complexation; Polymers; Polymers - chemistry; Polysaccharides - chemistry; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; breast cancer cells; chitosan; endothelial cells; nanoparticles; drug-delivery system; gemcitabine; fucoidan; polyelectrolyte complexation
• ISSN: 1743-5889; 1748-6963; 1748-6963
• DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2018-0004

To produce marine-origin nanoparticles (NPs) aiming to develop more effective and tolerated therapies for breast cancer. NPs based in two marine-origin polymers (fucoidan and chitosan) were prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation, for the delivery of an antitumor drug model (gemcitabine [Gem]). Final formulation resulted in stable NPs around 115-140 nm in size and with a polydispersity index less than 0.2. Gem was encapsulated at a maximum entrapment efficiency of 35-42%. Drug-release studies demonstrated that around 84% of Gem is released within 4 h. Cytotoxicity results of Gem-loaded NPs showed increased toxicity (around 25%) when compared with free Gem. The drug-loaded NPs present increased toxicity over human breast cancer cells without increasing toxic effects over endothelial cells.