Lactoferrin-conjugated biodegradable polymersome holding doxorubicin and tetrandrine for chemotherapy of glioma rats

Mol Pharm. 2010 Dec 6;7(6):1995-2005. doi: 10.1021/mp100277h. Epub 2010 Oct 28.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) and multidrug resistance (MDR) are the main causes for poor prognosis of glioma patients after chemotherapy. To explore the way for settling this problem, in this study, a novel antitumor agent loaded drug delivery system, lactoferrin-conjugated biodegradable polymersome holding doxorubicin and tetrandrine (Lf-PO-Dox/Tet), integrating both BBB and glioma-targeting moiety and MDR inhibitor, was designed and its chemotherapy for glioma rats was evaluated. Biodegradable polymersome (PO) encapsulating both doxorubicin (Dox) and tetrandrine (Tet) was prepared by the thin-film hydration method (PO-Dox/Tet) and then conjugated with lactoferrin (Lf) to yield Lf-PO-Dox/Tet with an average diameter around 220 nm and surface Lf molecule number per polymersome around 40. Compared with PO-DOX, PO-Dox/Tet, and Lf-PO-Dox, Lf-PO-Dox/Tet demonstrated the strongest cytotoxicity against C6 glioma cells and the greatest uptake index by C6 cells. In vivo imaging analysis indicated that Lf-PO labeled with a near-infrared dye could enter the brain and accumulate at the tumor site. Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution results also showed that Lf-PO-Dox/Tet accumulated more in the right hemisphere than other groups of polymersomes. Pharmacodynamics results revealed that tumor volume of the Lf-PO-Dox/Tet group was significantly smaller than that of other therapeutic groups, and the median survival time of Lf-PO-Dox/Tet group was longer than that of Lf-PO-Dox group and significantly longer than those of the other three therapeutic groups. These results suggested that Lf-PO-Dox/Tet could have therapeutic potential for gliomas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Benzylisoquinolines / chemistry
  • Benzylisoquinolines / pharmacology
  • Benzylisoquinolines / therapeutic use*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Glioma / drug therapy*
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Lactoferrin / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Surface Properties
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Benzylisoquinolines
  • Polymers
  • tetrandrine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Lactoferrin