Aim: Targeted biocompatible nanoplatforms presenting multiple therapeutic functions have great potential for the treatment of cancer.
Materials & methods: Multifunctional nanocomposites formed by polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) containing two cytotoxic agents - the drug alisertib and silver nanoparticles - were synthesized. These PNPs have been conjugated with a chlorotoxin, an active targeting 36-amino acid-long peptide that specifically binds to MMP-2, a receptor overexpressed by brain cancer cells.
Results: The individual and synergistic activity of these two cytotoxic agents against glioblastoma multiforme was tested both in vitro and in vivo. The induced cytotoxicity in a human glioblastoma-astrocytoma epithelial-like cell line (U87MG) was studied in vitro through a trypan blue exclusion test after 48 and 72 h of exposure. Subsequently, the PNPs' biodistribution in healthy animals and their effect on tumor reduction in tumor-bearing mice were studied using PNPs radiolabeled with (99m)Tc.
Conclusion: Tumor reduction was achieved in vivo when using silver/alisertib@PNPs-chlorotoxin.
Keywords: alisertib; cancer; glioblastoma; nanoprecipitation; organic coating; polymeric nanoparticle; radiolabeling; silver nanoparticle; toxicity; tumor reduction.