Co-delivery of dihydroartemisinin and docetaxel in pH-sensitive nanoparticles for treating metastatic breast cancer via the NF-κB/MMP-2 signal pathway.

ABSTRACT: Metastasis is a major barrier in cancer chemotherapy. Prolonged circulation and rapid, specific intracellular drug release are two main goals in the development of nanoscale drug delivery systems to treat metastatic breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the anti-metastasis effect of docetaxel (DTX) in combination with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) in metastatic breast cancer 4T1 cells. We synthesized a pH-sensitive material 4-arm-PEG-DTX with a hydrazone bond and used it to construct nanoparticles that co-deliver DTX and DHA (D/D NPs). The D/D NPs had a mean size of 142.5 nm and approximately neutral zeta potential. The pH-sensitive nanoparticles allowed acid-triggered drug release at the tumor site, showing excellent cytotoxicity (IC50 = 7.0 μg mL^-1), cell cycle arrest and s

SUBMITTER: Tao J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9080987 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature