Liposomal co-delivery of curcumin and albumin/paclitaxel nanoparticle for enhanced synergistic antitumor efficacy

Abstract

Paclitaxel (PTX) and curcumin (CUR) are potent chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of cancer. In the present study, hybrid polymer-lipid nanoparticles co-loaded with PTX and CUR were developed to investigate the therapeutic potential of a combination drug regimen. For this purpose, PTX-loaded albumin nanoparticles (APN) were prepared and encapsulated in PEGylated hybrid liposomes containing CUR (CL-APN) via a thin-film hydration technique. CL-APN was nanosized with a uniform spherical morphology. PTX and CUR release was sustained and occurred in a sequential manner, wherein CUR was expected to downregulate the nuclear factor NF-κB and Akt pathways and increase the therapeutic efficacy of PTX. The ratiometric combination of PTX and CUR was significantly more cytotoxic than the individual drugs. Importantly, dual-drug-loaded nanocarriers exhibited a superior cytotoxic effect than a cocktail combination at a lower dose. CL-APN induced significantly higher early and late apoptosis, induced a stronger G2/M arrest, and significantly increased the subG1 cell population. By combining CUR, an effective NF-κB inhibitor, with PTX, a powerful anticancer drug, in a polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticle system, we could improve the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatments. Our results showed that such co-loaded delivery systems could serve as a promising therapeutic approach to improve clinical outcomes against various malignancies.