Multifunctional nanotherapeutics for intracellular trafficking of doxorubicin against breast cancer.

Aims: To develop an estrone-targeted d-alpha-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)-based liposomal system for enhanced intracellular delivery of doxorubicin (DOX). Materials & methods: Zetasizer, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy and FACS analysis were used for formulation characterization and evaluation.

Results

The DOX-LIPO-TPGS and DOX-LIPO-TPGS-estrone formulations had vesicle sizes (117.6 ± 3.51; 144 ± 5.00 nm), zeta potential (-36.4 ± 0.75; -35.8 ± 0.76), polydispersity index (0.123 ± 0.005; 0.169 ± 0.005) and percent entrapment efficiency (73.56 ± 3.55; 77.16 ± 3.83%) with improved cytotoxicity and cellular uptake, confirming the targeted potential of the developed formulations.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the developed liposomal formulation with desired characteristics is potentially capable of nonimmunogenic, site-specific drug delivery to targeted cancer sites and reduced DOX-associated cardiac toxicity.