Stereocomplexed PLA microspheres: Control over morphology, drug encapsulation and anticancer activity

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, necessitating innovative treatment strategies.
• Effective local delivery of anticancer drugs to tumor sites is crucial for improving therapeutic outcomes.
• Current treatments face challenges in targeted drug delivery and minimizing systemic toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize stereocomplexed poly(lactic acid) microspheres for nasal delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) in lung cancer therapy.
• To investigate the influence of preparation methods and material functionalization on microsphere properties and drug release kinetics.
• To evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative efficacy of DOX-loaded microspheres against lung cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of stereocomplexed poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) microspheres loaded with doxorubicin (DOX).
• Systematic study of solvent effects and l-proline functionalization on microsphere morphology, size (0.5–10 μm), and drug loading.
• In vitro assessment of DOX release profiles and antiproliferative activity using the A549 lung cancer cell line.

Main Results:

• Microsphere size was identified as a key determinant of doxorubicin (DOX) release rate.
• Smaller microspheres demonstrated enhanced uptake by A549 lung cancer cells, acting as local drug reservoirs.
• DOX released from the microspheres exhibited significant in vitro antiproliferative activity against the tested cancer cell line.

Conclusions:

• Stereocomplexed PLA microspheres provide a controllable platform for local anticancer drug delivery via the nasal route.
• The size-tunable nature of these microspheres allows for tailored drug release and enhanced cellular interaction.
• This approach presents a promising strategy for developing novel lung cancer therapies with improved localized drug delivery.