A Novel Branched Copolymer-Containing Anticancer Drug for Targeted Therapy: In Vitro Research

Abstract

The viability of cancer cell lines (human transformed cervix epithelial cells, HeLa, and osteoblastic cell line from a C57BL/6 mouse calvaria, MC3T3, as models for cancer cells) was studied using MTT and live/dead assays after incubation with a branched copolymer dextran-graft polyacrylamide in anionic form (D-g-PAAan) as nanocarrier for drugs, doxorubicin (Dox), cisplatin (Cis), as well as their D-g-PAAan+Dox and D-g-PAAan+Cis mixtures, as a function of the concentration. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy clearly indicates the complex formation of Cis and Dox with the D-g-PAAan branched copolymer. The size distribution of particles in aqueous solution and its stability were determined by dynamic light scattering. The in vitro uptake of studied particles into cancer cells was demonstrated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. It was found that D-g-PAAan+Dox particles in contrast to Dox alone showed higher toxicity towards cancer cells. This indicates the possibility of further preclinical studies of the water-soluble D-g-PAAan+Dox particles on animal tumor models in vivo as a promising anticancer agent.