Antitumour effects of a solid lipid nanoparticle loaded with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin on the viability, apoptosis, autophagy, and Hsp90 of ovarian cancer cells

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the sensitising capability of the anticancer agents, gemcitabine (GEM) and oxaliplatin (OXA), encapsulated in a novel SLN (GEM:OXA-SLN) against the ovarian cancer cell lines. A novel SLN, prepared using hot homogenisation by mixing phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, tween 80, and oleic acid, was characterised using Transmission Electron Microscope and zetasizer. The anticancer activities and the underlying molecular mechanisms of GEM:OXA-SLN were investigated. The average z-diameter of the homogeneous spherical GEM:OXA-SLN was (70.33 ± 0.70) nm with zeta potential (–7.69 ± 0.61) mV. GEM:OXA-SLN significantly inhibited the viability of ovarian cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner within 24 h. It also triggered the induction of autophagy cellular death, suppression of multidrug resistance efflux pump and inhibition of heat shock protein (Hsp90). The encapsulation of GEM and OXA in SLN improved the efficacy of the drugs and diminished the ovarian cancer cell’s resistance.

Keywords:

• Dynamic light scattering
• chemotherapeutics
• caspase-3
• multidrug resistance
• heat shock protein

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge DSR’s technical and financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) and King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah [DG-11–247-1441].