Epigallocatechin Gallate-Loaded Polysaccharide Nanoparticles for Prostate Cancer Chemoprevention

Abstract

Aims: Polysaccharide nanoparticles were studied as drug delivery vehicles for chemopreventive agents. Materials & methods: Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was incorporated into a carbohydrate matrix of gum arabic and maltodextrin with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 85%. Results: Encapsulated EGCG retained its biological activity, reducing the cell viability and inducing apoptosis of Du145 prostate cancer cells. Clonogenic assay demonstrated that encapsulation of EGCG enhanced its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation (10–20%) at lower concentrations (1–2 µM), compared with free EGCG. Conclusion: This study highlights the use of polysaccharide nanoparticles in chemoprevention as they can be used to deliver natural antioxidants capable of inhibiting steps of the tumorigenesis process.

Keywords::

• carbohydrate nanoparticles
• chemopreventive agent
• encapsulation
• green tea catechins
• gum arabic
• maltodextrin
• prostate cancer cells

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by FCT research projects PTDC/BIO/69359/2006, PTDC/EQU-EQU/67982/2006, QREN project BioCaps (ADI), Research Council of Norway (project 182058) and the Norwegian Radium Hospital Research Foundation (project FU0802). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by FCT research projects PTDC/BIO/69359/2006, PTDC/EQU-EQU/67982/2006, QREN project BioCaps (ADI), Research Council of Norway (project 182058) and the Norwegian Radium Hospital Research Foundation (project FU0802). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.