Targeted Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Co-Delivery of Sorafenib and Curcumin Using Lactosylated pH-Responsive Nanoparticles

Abstract

Purpose

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cancer worldwide. In the present investigation, sorafenib (SFN) and curcumin (CCM) were co-delivered using pH-sensitive lactosylated nanoparticles (LAC-NPs) for targeted HCC treatment.

Methods

pH-responsive lactosylated materials were synthesized. SFN and CCM co-delivered, pH-responsive lactosylated nanoparticles (LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs) were self-assembled by using the nanoprecipitation technique. The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of particle size, charge and drug release profile. The anti-cancer effects of the nanoparticles were evaluated in human hepatic carcinoma cells (HepG2) cells and HCC tumor xenograft models.

Results

LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs are spherical particles with light coats on the surface. The size and zeta potential of LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs were 115.5 ± 3.6 nm and −34.6 ± 2.4, respectively. The drug release of LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs in pH 5.5 was more efficient than in pH 7.4. LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs group exhibited the smallest tumor volume (239 ± 14 mm³), and the inhibition rate of LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs was 77.4%.

Conclusion

In summary, LAC-SFN/CCM-NPs was proved to be a promising system for targeted HCC therapy.

Keywords:

• hepatocellular carcinoma
• nanoparticles
• pH-responsive
• sorafenib
• curcumin

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the 2017 Wuxi Health and Family Planning Research Project (MS201771).

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.