Developing micelles to deliver the drug curcumin to breast cancer cells

Background: it is now known that curcumin (Cur) has a broadrange of biological properties; however, photosensitivity, as well as lowbioavailability and short half-life, have limited its clinical application. Toovercome these problems the synthesis of poly(۳-caprolactone)–Tween ۸۰(PCL–T) copolymers was performed. Methods: the copolymers of PCL–T werecreated using the solvent evaporation/extraction technique. Then Cur wasloaded in PCL–T micelles (PCL–T-M) by a self-assembly method. Thecharacterization of copolymer and micelles was assessed by gel permeationchromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), protonnuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (۱HNMR), differential scanningcalorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic lightscattering (DLS) methods. The MTT [۳-(۴,۵-dimethylthiazol-۲-yl)-۲,۵-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay was used to indicate the cytotoxicity of thefree Cur, PCL–T-M, and Cur-loaded PCL–T-M. Results: TEM analysis showedmonodispersed and spherical shapes with a size of about ۹۰ nm. Cur wasreleased from PCL–T-M at pH ۷.۴ (۴۵%) and ۵.۵ (۹۰%) during ۶ days. After ۲۴and ۴۸ h, the IC۵۰ of the free Cur, PCL–T-M, and Cur-loaded PCL–T-M onMCF-۷ cells were ۸۰.۸۶ and ۵۴.۴۵ mg mL−۱, ۲۷۸.۳۰ and ۲۳۶.۱۹ mg mL−۱,۴۵.۴۷ and ۱۹.۰۵ mg mL−۱, respectively. Conclusion: this study showed that, inthe same concentration, the effectiveness of the Cur-loaded PCL–T-M is morethan the free Cur, and the nano-system has been able to overcome deliveryobstacles of Cur drug. Thus, PCL–T-M can be a candidate as a drug carrier forthe delivery of Cur and future therapeutic investigations on breast cancer.

Keywords:

Brest Cancer , micelle , Curcumin , Electrophoresis