Transferrin-bearing, zein-based hybrid lipid nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery to prostate cancer cells

Maeyouf, Khadeejah and Sakpakdeejaroen, Intouch and Somani, Sukrut and Meewan, Jitkasem and Ali-Jerman, Hawraa and Laskar, Partha and Mullin, Margaret and MacKenzie, Graeme and Tate, Rothwelle J. and Dufès, Christine (2023) Transferrin-bearing, zein-based hybrid lipid nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery to prostate cancer cells. Pharmaceutics, 15 (11). 2643. ISSN 1999-4923 (https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15112643)

[thumbnail of Maeyouf-etal-Pharmaceutics-2023-Transferrin-bearing-zein-based-hybrid-lipid-nanoparticles-for-drug-and-gene-delivery-to-prostate-cancer-cells]
Preview
 Text. Filename: Maeyouf-etal-Pharmaceutics-2023-Transferrin-bearing-zein-based-hybrid-lipid-nanoparticles-for-drug-and-gene-delivery-to-prostate-cancer-cells.pdf
Final Published Version
License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 logo
Download (1MB)| Preview

Abstract

Gene therapy holds great promise for treating prostate cancer unresponsive to conventional therapies. However, the lack of delivery systems that can transport therapeutic DNA and drugs while targeting tumors without harming healthy tissues presents a significant challenge. This study aimed to explore the potential of novel hybrid lipid nanoparticles, composed of biocompatible zein and conjugated to the cancer-targeting ligand transferrin. These nanoparticles were designed to entrap the anti-cancer drug docetaxel and carry plasmid DNA, with the objective of improving the delivery of therapeutic payloads to prostate cancer cells, thereby enhancing their antiproliferative efficacy and gene expression levels. These transferrin-bearing, zeinbased hybrid lipid nanoparticles efficiently entrapped docetaxel, leading to increased uptake by PC-3 and LNCaP cancer cells and significantly enhancing anti-proliferative efficacy at docetaxel concentrations exceeding 1 µg/mL. Furthermore, they demonstrated proficient DNA condensation, exceeding 80% at polymer: DNA weight ratios of 1500:1 and 2000:1. This resulted in increased gene expression across all tested cell lines, with the highest transfection levels up to 11-fold higher than those observed with controls, in LNCaP cells. These novel transferrin-bearing, zein-based hybrid lipid nanoparticles therefore exhibit promising potential as drug and gene delivery systems for prostate cancer therapy.

CORE (COnnecting REpositories)