Doxorubicin-loaded dextran-based nano-carriers for highly efficient inhibition of lymphoma cell growth and synchronous reduction of cardiac toxicity.

purposeCardiac side effects of doxorubicin (Dox) have limited its clinical application. The aim of this study was to explore new Dox-loaded dextran-based nano-carriers (NCs) in efficiently targeting tumor growth with less cardiac toxicity.

methodsInspired by recent reports that polymeric NCs could function as sustained, controlled and targeted drug delivery systems, we developed Dox-loaded NCs which displayed a 2-fold release ratio of Dox in the mimic tumor site condition (pH 5.0 with 10 mM glutathione, GSH) as much as that in systemic circulation condition (pH 7.4).

resultsLymphoma cells treated with Dox-NCs had significantly higher intracellular Dox concentrations and more apoptotic induction, with lower P-gp expression, when compared with those treated with Dox alone. The identified mechanism of action, apoptosis, was triggered through survivin reduction and caspase-3 activation. Even in the Dox-resistant cells, Dox-NCs could significantly inhibit cell growth and induce apoptosis. In murine lymphoma xenograft models, Dox-NCs also remarkably significantly retarded tumor growth, assessed by murine weight, and demonstrated less cytotoxicity. Noticeably, apoptotic myocardial cells were decreased in the Dox-NCs-treated group, when compared with the control group, which was consistent with low intracellular Dox concentration in the cardiac cell line H9C2.

conclusionDox-NCs showed an anti-lymphoma effect with reduced cardiac toxicity in both in vivo and in vitro models and, therefore, could be a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment of lymphoma.