Development and characterization of octreotide-modified curcumin plus docetaxel micelles for potential treatment of...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) poses a significant therapeutic challenge.
• Tumor metastasis and vasculogenic mimicry (VM) are critical factors in NSCLC progression.
• Developing targeted drug delivery systems is crucial for improving NSCLC treatment efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop octreotide (OCT)-modified curcumin plus docetaxel micelles for enhanced active targeting of NSCLC.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these micelles in inhibiting tumor metastasis by destroying VM channels.
• To investigate the antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

• Micelles were formulated using Soluplus via film dispersion.
• In vitro studies involved A549 cells to assess cytotoxicity, cellular targeting, and VM inhibition.
• In vivo studies utilized xenograft tumor-bearing mice to evaluate antitumor efficacy and drug accumulation.

Main Results:

• OCT-modified micelles demonstrated robust cytotoxicity against A549 cells.
• Effective inhibition of VM channels and tumor metastasis was observed in vitro.
• Downregulation of MMP-2 and HIF-1α was identified as a mechanism of action.
• In vivo studies showed increased drug accumulation at tumor sites and significant antitumor efficacy.

Conclusions:

• OCT-modified curcumin plus docetaxel micelles represent a promising strategy for NSCLC treatment.
• This approach enhances active targeting and combats metastasis by inhibiting VM.
• The developed micelles offer a potential new therapeutic avenue for non-small-cell lung cancer.