Hypoxia-Responsive Polymersomes for Drug Delivery to Hypoxic Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Biomacromolecules. 2016 Aug 8;17(8):2507-13. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00350. Epub 2016 Jul 1.

Abstract

Hypoxia in tumors contributes to overall tumor progression by assisting in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer. In this study, we have synthesized a hypoxia-responsive, diblock copolymer poly(lactic acid)-azobenzene-poly(ethylene glycol), which self-assembles to form polymersomes in an aqueous medium. The polymersomes did not release any encapsulated contents for 50 min under normoxic conditions. However, under hypoxia, 90% of the encapsulated dye was released in 50 min. The polymersomes encapsulated the combination of anticancer drugs gemcitabine and erlotinib with entrapment efficiency of 40% and 28%, respectively. We used three-dimensional spheroid cultures of pancreatic cancer cells BxPC-3 to demonstrate hypoxia-mediated release of the drugs from the polymersomes. The vesicles were nontoxic. However, a significant decrease in cell viability was observed in hypoxic spheroidal cultures of BxPC-3 cells in the presence of drug encapsulated polymersomes. These polymersomes have potential for future applications in imaging and treatment of hypoxic tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology*
  • Cell Survival
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Drug Carriers
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / physiopathology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Polymers
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Gemcitabine