Efficacy of copper nanoparticles encapsulated in soya lecithin liposomes in treating breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in vitro.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, which has attracted the attention of the scientific world to the search for efficient methods for treatment. With the great development and regeneration of nanotechnology over the last 25 years, various nanoparticles in different structures, shapes and composites provide good potential for cancer therapy. There are several drugs approved by FDA used in breast cancer treatment like Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Femara, Herceptin, etc. Each has several side effects as well as treatment, which limits the use of drugs due to heart failure, pulmonary dysfunction, or immunodeficiency. Recently, such side effects are greatly reduced by using innovative delivery techniques. Some drugs have been approved for use in cancer treatment under the concept of drug delivery, such as Doxil (liposomal loaded doxorubicin). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) as a drug model for cancer treatment, either in their free form or encapsulated in Soy lecithin liposomes (SLP) from plant origin as a cheap source of lipids. CuNPs were prepared by the chemical reduction method and loaded onto SLP through the thin film hydration method. The drug model Cu/SLP was successfully combined. The characteristics of the free CuNPs, liposomes, and the combined form, zeta potential, size distribution, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%), drug release profile, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), were checked, followed by an in vitro study on the breast cancer cell line Mcf-7 as a model for cytotoxicity evaluation. The optimal Cu/SLP had a particle mean size of 81.59 ± 14.93 nm, a negative zeta potential of - 50.7 ± 4.34 mV, loaded CuNPs showed an EE% of 78.9%, a drug release profile for about 50% of the drug was released after 6 h, and FTIR analysis was recorded. The cytotoxicity assay showed that the IC50 of Cu/SLP is smaller than that of free CuNPs. These results give clear evidence of the efficacy of using the combined Cu/SLP rather than CuNPs alone as a model drug carrier prepared from plant origin against cancer, both medically and economically.

Ascorbic acid prevents cellular uptake and improves biocompatibility of chitosan nanoparticles.

Chitosan nanoparticles have many applications, such as gene and drug delivery, due to their biocompatibility. Chitosan nanoparticles are currently produced by dissolution in acetic acid that affects the biocompatibility at acidic pH. Here, we synthesized and characterized chitosan (CS) and ascorbate chitosan (AsCS) nanoparticles and investigated their cytotoxic effects, internalization, and distribution in the human colon carcinoma cell line using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The CS and AsCS nanoparticles were spherical with average particle sizes of 44±8.4nm and 87±13.6nm, respectively. CS nanoparticles were taken up by the cells and showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity. By contrast, AsCS nanoparticles were not internalized and showed no cytotoxicity. Therefore, AsCS nanoparticles are more biocompatible than CS nanoparticles and may be more suitable for extracellular drug delivery.

Effect of gamma-irradiation on the molecular properties of bovine serum albumin.

To investigate the effect of oxygen radicals on the molecular properties of bovine serum albumin (BSA), the secondary and tertiary structures, molecular weight and optical anisotropy of BSA were examined after the irradiation of the protein at various doses. gamma-Irradiation of the protein solution caused the disruption of the ordered structure of protein molecules as well as degradation, cross-linking and aggregation of polypeptide chains. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that irradiation quenched the emission intensity excited at 280 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that irradiation caused transformation from beta-turns into beta-sheets. A light scattering study showed that increasing the radiation dose decreased the molecular weight of the protein. Optical anisotropy data showed that radiation changed the ordered structure of the protein. Ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy indicated that fragmentation and aggregation might occur in response to radiation exposure.

Effect of microwave radiation on the biophysical properties of liposomes.

Steadily growing use of electromagnetic fields, especially in conjunction with wireless communication systems, has led to increasing public concern about possible health effects of electromagnetic radiation. However, besides the well-known thermal effect of electromagnetic fields on biological tissue, there is no clear evidence of further athermal interaction mechanisms with biological systems. The present study was designed to determine the changes in bilayer permeability in egg lecithin multilamellar vesicles after exposure to 900 MHz microwave radiation for a period of 5 h. Specific absorption rate (SAR) of the radiation for the investigated liposome sample was found to be 12 +/- 1 W/kg. Liposomal changes in permeability were monitored using a light scattering technique. Optical anisotropy of the liposome sample decreased dramatically upon exposure to microwave radiation, indicating structural changes in acyl chain packing. IR and NMR ((1)H NMR) studies, which have been employed to reveal structural alterations in microwave, exposed vesicles showed an increased damage upon exposure to microwave. The changes observed in the (1)H NMR spectrum of the microwave exposed sample indicated hydrolysis of carboxylic and phosphoric esters. IR study showed conformational changes in the acyl chains of the lipids upon microwave exposure. However, both IR and (31)P NMR did not show any appreciable changes in the head group part of the lipids.

Modulation of doxorubicin resistance in multidrug-resistance cells by targeted liposomes combined with hyperthermia.

Conventional methods that are used to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) often involve the coadministration of chemosensitizers and anticancer drugs. However, coadministration of many chemosensitizers with anticancer drugs, such as doxorubicin (Dox) has resulted in the exacerbation of anticancer drug toxicity. Here, we hypothesized that optimization of the anticancer drug delivery using a liposomal carrier, a suitable targeting moiety, and a physical factor such as hyperthermia offer a significant advantage in the treatment of MDR cancer cells. Since, receptors for the vitamin folic acid are frequently overexpressed on epithelial cancer cells, we used folate as our targeting moiety against two types of cell lines, the human cervical carcinoma derived KB-31 (KB31) and the resistance type KB-85 (KB85). Folate-targeted thermosensitive liposomes were prepared by incorporating 1 mol% of a folate-polyethyleneglycol-distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (folate-PEG-DSPE) construct into a lipid bilayer composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), cholesterol (Chol) and phosphatidylethanolamine derivatized at the amino position with polyethyleneglycol (PEG-PE) at a molar ratio of 100:50:30:6. Incorporation of folate-PEG-PE in the bilayer, did not affect the thermal sensitivity of the resultant liposome vesicles. Uptake of folate-PEG-liposomal Dox by KB31 cells was 15-fold higher than that of non-targeted liposomal Dox. However, in the case of MDR type KB85, the uptake of the folate PEG liposomal Dox was 2-fold higher than the non-targeted liposomal Dox. Cytotoxicity measurements showed that folated liposomes combined with hyperthermia were found to be over 3-fold more effective (IC(50)=0.16 microM) than the free drug (IC(50)=0.543 microM) for growth inhibition of KB31. For the MDR cell type KB85, the cytotoxicity of the targeted liposomes combined with hyperthermia were found to be 4.8 times (IC(50)=0.38 microM) more effective than the free drug (IC(50)=1.81 microM). Thus, liposome associated Dox may bypass the vesicular drug transport in MDR cells, resulting in the enhancement of the drug biological activity.