A new modality in targeted delivery of epirubicin for tumor theranosis based on PEGylated silver nanoparticles: Design, radiolabeling and bioevaluation

M E Abdel-Hameed; Nourihan S Farrag; H Aglan; Abeer M Amin; M A Mahdy

doi:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122358

A new modality in targeted delivery of epirubicin for tumor theranosis based on PEGylated silver nanoparticles: Design, radiolabeling and bioevaluation

Int J Pharm. 2022 Dec 15:629:122358. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122358. Epub 2022 Nov 1.

Authors

M E Abdel-Hameed¹, Nourihan S Farrag², H Aglan³, Abeer M Amin², M A Mahdy⁴

Affiliations

¹ Labeled Compounds Department, Hot Labs Center, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt; Cyclotron Project, Nuclear Research Centre, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: mohamedelsadek87@gmail.com.
² Labeled Compounds Department, Hot Labs Center, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt.
³ Labeled Compounds Department, Hot Labs Center, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt; Cyclotron Project, Nuclear Research Centre, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), P.O. Box 13759, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

PMID: 36332832
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122358

Abstract

This work highlights boosting the tumor targeting efficiency of epirubicin through loading on a new radionanosystem, based on the effective role of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Accordingly, PEGylated silver nanoparticles (PEG/AgNPs) were prepared in a size of 20.2 ± 0.1 nm. Additionally, epirubicin was loaded on PEG/AgNPs with a loading efficiency of 63 ± 3 %. Furthermore, both of PEG/AgNPs and EPI/PEG/AgNPs were radiolabeled with ¹³¹I isotope with radiolabeling yields of 85 ± 0.2 % and 90.3 ± 1 %, respectively. The in-vivo distribution of ¹³¹I-PEG/AgNPs and ¹³¹I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs were examined in healthy and tumor bearing mice models. Excitingly, ¹³¹I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs revealed a reticuloendothelial system (RES) avoidance and prolonged circulating time. In addition, ¹³¹I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs showed fast targeting of tumor site by 25.1 ± 0.1 %ID/g within 0.5 h after intravenous injection. Subsequently, the outcomes provided ¹³¹I-EPI/PEG/AgNPs as a new potential system for enhancement of tumor targeting and theranosis (therapy and/or imaging).

Keywords: Epirubicin; PEGylated silver NPs (PEG/AgNPs); Radiolabeling; Radionanosystem; Targeted delivery; Tumor theranosis.

MeSH terms

Animals
Epirubicin
Metal Nanoparticles*
Mice
Nanoparticles*
Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Polyethylene Glycols
Silver

Substances

Epirubicin
Silver
Iodine-131
Polyethylene Glycols