Breast cancer is conventionally treated by surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy followed by post operational hormonal therapy. Tamoxifen citrate is a best option to treat breast cancer because its selective estrogen receptor modulation activity. Owing to its antiestrogenic action on breast as well as uterine cells, Tamoxifen citrate shows uterine toxicity. The dose 20 mg per day of Tamoxifen citrate required to show therapeutic effect causes side effects and toxicity to vital organs such as liver, kidney and uterus. In the present study, transferrin-conjugated solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were successfully prepared to enhance the active targeting of tamoxifen citrate in breast cancer. Developed formulations were evaluated for particle size, surface charge, surface morphology and in vitro dissolution studies. Developed formulations exhibited more cytotoxicity as compared to pure Tamoxifen citrate solution in time as well as concentration dependent manner on human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Further, cell uptake and flow cytometry studies confirmed the qualitative uptake of developed D-SLN and SMD-SLN by human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Overall, proposed study highlights that transferrin engineered nanocarriers could enhance the therapeutic response of nanomedicines for breast cancer treatment.

A Corrigendum on Formulation and development of transferrin targeted solid lipid nanoparticles for breast cancer therapy

Although nanoparticles have many advantages as drug delivery systems, their poor stability in circulation, premature drug release, and nonspecific uptake in non-target organs have prompted biomimetic approaches to camouflage nano vehicles using natural cell membranes. Among them, which are extensively studied in erythrocytes, are the most abundant circulating blood cells. They are specially used for biomimetic coating on artificial nanoparticles due to their excellent properties of good biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-immunogenicity, and long-term blood circulation. Erythrocyte-mimicking nanoparticles (EM-NPs) are prepared by combining nanoparticle cores with naturally derived erythrocyte (RBC) membranes. Compared with conventional nanosystems, EM-NPs hold the preferable characteristics of prolonged blood circulation time and immune evasion. In this review, the biomimetic platform of erythrocyte membrane-coated nanoparticles is described in various aspects, with particular focus placed on the coating mechanism, preparation methods, characterization method, and recent advances in the biomedical applications of EM-NPs concerning cancer and targeted delivery.

Vinorelbine tartarate (VRL) is an anticancer drug acting by inhibition of mitosis. It has been approved to treat metastatic breast cancer. Liposomes loaded with VRL were prepared by ethanol injection method using 1, 2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol,sodium salt (DSPG-Na) and cholesterol in different ratios. The drug incorporated was 5% of the lipid. The physicochemical characteristics, such as the particle size and zeta potential, of the optimized batches were in the range of 60±5nm (PDI-0.045±0.05) and -7.0±3.0mV, respectively. The drug content and entrapment efficiency were 80±5% and 73±3%, respectively. The optimized batch of liposome was further surface-modified using various concentrations of MPEG-DSPE2000. For the optimized pegylated (stealth) liposomes the particle size and zeta potential values were 74.5±5(PDI 0.243±0.05) and -3±5mV, whereas the drug content and entrapment efficiency were 85±5% and 75±3%, respectively. Light microscopic images revealed the exact morphology of liposomes. The in vitro release studies of liposome and stealth liposomes showed prolonged release upto 24 hours. The liposomes were stable at 40C and RT.