Enhanced selective cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells using EGF-conjugated liposome-encapsulated curcumin

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers. Overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the cell surface significantly enhances the tumor resistance, which makes the treatment even more challenging. Curcumin, a polyphenol found in turmeric (Curcumin longa), has been demonstrated to inhibit the growth, metastasis, and invasion of cancer cells via the EGFR signaling pathways. Our purpose is to develop an epidermal growth factor (EGF)-conjugated liposome-encapsulated curcumin (EGF-LP-Cur) to target the EGFR. As a result, the prepared liposomal EGF-LP-Cur had spherical vesicles with diameters of around 120 nm and contained high concentrations of curcumin and controlled concentrations of EGF. It was demonstrated to be stable in term of size and zeta potential within 21 days. The targeted formulation produced a significant increase of cytotoxicity on EGFR-overexpressed human pancreatic cancer cells as compared to the non-targeted one (p < 0.05). This is a promising candidate for the drug development in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, which remains challenging.