Optimally designed PEGylatied arabinoxylan paclitaxel nano-micelles as alternative delivery for Abraxane®: A potential targeted therapy against breast and lung cancers

Paclitaxel (PTX) binds to spindle microtubules and inhibits mitotic division leading to cell death. However, its wide distribution, high absorption, and less selectively, minimize its application in cancer clinics. In this study, isolated arabinoxylans were used to encapsulate PTX, and then both were covered by polyethylene glycol conjugated to folic acid (FA), to strengthen its specificity to cancerous cells. Beclin-1 and P21 were significantly overexpressed by (79.6 ± 0.97 %, p ≤ 0.00001, &62.2 ± 1.15 % p ≤ 0.0001 in MCF-7 cells) and (74.8 ± 8.04 %, p ≤ 0.0001 &75.3 ± 2.3 %, p ≤ 0.0001, in NSCLCs) respectively after their incubation for 48 h with nano-targeted PTX NPs. Similarly, P53 and GSK3 beta-pSer9 were significantly increased by (63.5 ± 1 % p ≤ 0.0001, & 87 ± 1 % p ≤ 0.0001, in MCF) respectively and (81.5 ± 6 % p ≤ 0.01, & 84.8 ± 3.8 % p ≤ 0.001, in A549) respectively. The findings confirmed the activation of acidic/neutral autophagosomes in acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) and nuclear fragmentation was clearly shown by 4', 6-diamidino-2 phenylindole (DAPI) nuclear stains. The findings provide the basis for the potential application of arabinoxylans as a great vehicle for the encapsulation of chemotherapeutic agents such as PTX for target delivery, and also as an immune mediator.