Supramolecularly self-assembled nano-twin drug for reversing multidrug resistance

Biomater Sci. 2018 Jul 24;6(8):2261-2269. doi: 10.1039/c8bm00437d.

Abstract

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the most important reasons for the failure of clinical chemotherapy treatment of cancer patients. Although several strategies have been proposed to overcome MDR, their contributions in improving therapeutic efficacy are not adequate. Herein, we constructed a nano-twindrug using a supramolecular self-assembling strategy, with the aim of efficiently reversing MDR. Due to the supramolecular interactions, doxorubicin (DOX) and vorinostat (SAHA) could self-assemble into stable spherical nanoparticles with a size of ∼160 nm. Since the antitumor drugs were not modified by nontherapeutic drug carriers, our strategy ensured a drug-loading efficacy of 100%. Furthermore, our study revealed that the DOX-SAHA nano-twin drug could enter drug-resistant cancer cells and inhibit their proliferation more effectively in vitro than single DOX, SAHA, or a DOX/SAHA mixture. In the meantime, the DOX-SAHA nano-twin drug could accumulate at the tumor site in vivo and show higher antitumor efficacy accompanied by low side effects.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Doxorubicin / chemical synthesis
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple / drug effects*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Female
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemical synthesis
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Macromolecular Substances / pharmacology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / analysis
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Doxorubicin