Paclitaxel‐Loaded Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Targeted Breast Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a potent drug for treating advanced solid carcinomas; however, its clinical utility is limited by its poor water solubility. Despite the promise of using nanoparticles to deliver hydrophobic PTX, achieving sufficient drug loading while maintaining small particle size and stability in biological media remains a challenge. Here, a PTX nanoparticle (NP) formulation with small size and great stability is presented that targets breast cancer cells and enables controlled release of PTX. This NP formulation (NP-PTX-FA) comprises a superparamagnetic iron oxide core coated with short-and long-chain polyethylene glycol: the former for conjugation of hydrophobic PTX and folic acid (FA), and the latter as an outer layer for improved hydrophilicity. The NP-PTX-FA has a uniform size distribution (averaging 28.2 ± 0.64 nm) and high drug loading capacity of 22.8 wt% (vs <10 wt% normally). NP-PTX-FA releases the drug under conditions mimicking the acidic intracellular pH of breast cancer cells and the FA conjugation leads to higher NP uptake by target cells, enhancing the cytotoxicity to target cells compared to free PTX. This NP formulation holds great promise to improve breast cancer therapy and potential to deliver other hydrophobic drugs for treating various cancer types.

Metal nanoparticles as a promising technology in targeted cancer treatment

“…The hydrophobic paclitaxel and folic acid were coupled to a metallic core, and the PEG served as a hydrophilic outer layer. When compared to free paclitaxel, the NPs system delivered the drug at conditions that mimicked the acidic intracellular pH of breast cancer cells, and the folic conjugation resulted in higher NP absorption by target cells, which increased the cytotoxicity to target cells (Jeon et al., 2019 ). In another study, for colon target dual drug delivery, a chitosan/palladium nanocomposite was created.…”

Advances with metal oxide-based nanoparticles as MDR metastatic breast cancer therapeutics and diagnostics

“…Breast cancer tumor cells can be treated using several approaches including hyperthermia, delivery of anticancer drugs, oligonucleotides and peptides, photothermal and photodynamic therapy. 116 Benign or malignant cells are more heat sensitive compared to normal cells. [117][118][119] Tissue warming through hyperthermia treatment using Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticle is one of the promising means to treat tumor and metastasis.…”

Titanium and Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy: Surface Chemistry and Biological Implications

“…In addition, Jeon et al and Augustin et al have demonstrated the potential of IO NPs conjugated with paclitaxel and doxorubicin (Dox) for the treatment of some cancer subtypes. Furthermore, the polymer matrix of the molecular coating layer of NPs can be used to load and deliver drugs (Augustin et al, 2016;Jeon et al, 2019). For instance, Liu et al incorporated cisplatin on TiO 2 NPs coated with hyaluronic acid (HA), a polysaccharide that acts not only as a stabilizing agent but the matrix for drug loading.…”