Temperature-sensitive liposomes for co-delivery of tamoxifen and imatinib for synergistic breast cancer treatment

Abstract

Co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents using nanocarriers is a promising strategy for enhancing therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents. The aim of this work was to develop tamoxifen and imatinib dual drug loaded temperature-sensitive liposomes to treat breast cancer. Liposomes were prepared using 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), monopalmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (MPPC), and different surface active agents. The liposomes were characterized for the average particle size, zeta potential, transition temperature, and drug release below and above liposomal transition temperature. The temperature-sensitive liposomes co-encapsulated with tamoxifen and imatinib were investigated for their synergistic activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The liposomal nanoparticles showed a transition temperature of 39.4 °C and >70% encapsulation efficiency for tamoxifen and imatinib. The temperature-responsive liposomes showed more than 80% drug released within 30 min above transition temperature. Dual drug loaded liposomes showed synergistic growth inhibition against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Co-delivery of tamoxifen and imatinib using temperature-sensitive liposomes can be developed as a potential targeting strategy against breast cancer.

KEYWORDS::

• Temperature-sensitive liposomes
• co-delivery
• tamoxifen
• imatinib mesylate
• breast cancer

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology (DST) under SR/S0/HS-0059/2012. Particle size analyzer and multimode plate reader were procured using a grant from Department of Science and Technology – fund for improvement of science and technology infrastructure (DST FIST).