Back to Search
Start Over
Evaluation of the liver targeting and anti-liver cancer activity of artesunate-loaded and glycyrrhetinic acid-coated nanoparticles.
- Source :
- Experimental & Therapeutic Medicine; Nov2023, Vol. 26 Issue 5, p1-14, 14p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Globally, liver cancer ranks among the most lethal cancers, with chemotherapy being one of its primary treatments. However, poor selectivity, systemic toxicity, a narrow treatment window, low response rate and multidrug resistance limit its clinical application. Liver-targeted nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit excellent targeted delivery ability and promising effectivity in treating liver cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the liver-targeting and anti-liver cancer effect of artesunate (ART)-loaded and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA)-decorated polyethylene glycol (PEG)-poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (ART/GA-PEG-PLGA) NPs. GA-coated NPs significantly increased hepatoma-targeted cellular uptake, with micropinocytosis and caveolae-mediated endocytosis as its chief internalization pathways. Moreover, ART/GA-PEG-PLGA NPs exhibited pro-apoptotic effects on HepG2 cells, mainly via the induction of a high level of reactive oxygen species, decline in mitochondrial membrane potential and induction of cell cycle arrest. Additionally, ART/GA-PEG-PLGA NPs induced internal apoptosis pathways by upregulating the activity of cleaved caspase-3/7 and expression of cleaved poly (ADP-Ribose)-polymerase and Phos-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, ART/GA-PEG-PLGA NPs exhibited higher liver accumulation and longer mean retention time, resulting in increased bioavailability. Finally, ART/GA-PEG-PLGA NPs promoted the liver-targeting distribution of ART, increased the retention time and promoted its antitumour effects in vivo. Therefore, ART/GA-PEG-PLGA NPs afforded excellent hepatoma-targeted delivery and anti-liver cancer efficacy, and thus, they may be a promising strategy for treating liver cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17920981
- Volume :
- 26
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Experimental & Therapeutic Medicine
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 172996200
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3892/etm.2023.12215