D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol (1000) succinatecontaining microemulsion enhances the anticancer effect of cisplatin in human lung epidermoid carcinoma cells

Abstract

Most of the cancer cases are detected in advanced stage when surgical intervention is not possible, thus chemotherapy is the only treatment option. In the majority of the cases, chemotherapy has severe side effects and cancer cells rapidly develop resistance to the treatment. Therefore, milder treatment options for chemotherapy patients are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a vitamin E derivative, D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol (1000) succinate, in a microemulsion formulation to increase the anticancer activity of cisplatin. The vitamin E derivative was formulated as microemulsions with particle sizes between 100 and 150 nm, and zeta potential values between +4.1 and +5.8 mV. The IC50 value of the selected microemulsion was determined in human lung epidermoid carcinoma (Calu1) and adenocarcinoma (A549) cells. The microemulsion components had no significant effect on the cell viability. Co-treatment of cisplatin and the microemulsion increased the level of early mediator caspases, caspase-8 and caspase-9, and the effector caspase-3 in the cancer cells. Simultaneous application of the microemulsion with cisplatin enhanced the anticancer effect of the chemotherapy drug. The novel microemulsion has the potential to reduce the required dose of cisplatin for effective cancer treatments.