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Published on: November 1, 2017
Bioactive pH-sensitive nanoemulsion in melanoma cell lines
Jacopo Forte1, Maria Gioia Fabiano1, Maria Grazia Ammendolia2
1Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00161, Italy.
Abstract:
Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer with elevated propensity to metastasize. One of the major critical issues in the treatment of oncological patients is represented by the development of toxicity and resistance to the available therapies. Great progress has been made in the field of nanotechnologies to limit the unwanted effects of anti-cancer treatments. We explored the potential of creating oil-in-water nanoemulsions composed of oleic acid, as a bioactive carrier for lipophilic drug delivery. This bioactive nanoemulsion was loaded with Curcumin, a natural fluorescent lipophilic compound, used as a model drug to evaluate nanoemulsion capability to: i) encapsulate the lipophilic moiety; ii) interact with the specific cells, and iii) improve the efficacy of the loaded model drug compared to the free one. Therefore, we evaluated the physical-chemical features of Curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions, confirming their pH sensibility and their stability over time. Moreover, the nanoemulsions were able to preserve the loaded Curcumin by degradation/destabilization phenomena. Finally, we verified some of the biological functions of Curcumin delivered by nanoemulsions in the B16F10 melanoma cell line. We obtained evidence of the biological action of Curcumin, suggesting oleic-based nanoemulsions as an efficient nanocarrier for lipophilic drug delivery.
Insights
Oleic acid nanoemulsions effectively encapsulate and deliver curcumin, a model lipophilic drug. This approach enhances drug efficacy and offers a promising strategy for melanoma treatment by overcoming drug resistance and toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Melanoma is an aggressive, metastatic skin cancer.
- Drug resistance and toxicity are critical challenges in cancer therapy.
- Nanotechnology offers solutions to mitigate anti-cancer treatment side effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create and evaluate oil-in-water nanoemulsions using oleic acid as a carrier for lipophilic drugs.
- To investigate the encapsulation, cellular interaction, and efficacy of curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions.
- To assess the potential of oleic acid nanoemulsions for improved drug delivery in melanoma.
Main Methods:
- Formulation of oleic acid-based oil-in-water nanoemulsions.
- Loading of curcumin as a model lipophilic drug.
- Evaluation of physical-chemical properties, stability, and pH sensitivity.
- Assessment of curcumin preservation against degradation.
- In vitro testing of nanoemulsion biological functions in B16F10 melanoma cells.
Main Results:
- Curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions demonstrated pH sensitivity and stability over time.
- The nanoemulsions successfully preserved curcumin from degradation.
- Evidence of the biological activity of nanoemulsion-delivered curcumin was observed.
- The nanoemulsion system showed potential for enhanced drug delivery compared to free curcumin.
Conclusions:
- Oleic acid-based nanoemulsions are effective carriers for lipophilic drugs like curcumin.
- This nanocarrier system shows promise for improving the efficacy of anti-cancer treatments.
- The developed nanoemulsions offer a viable strategy to address drug resistance and toxicity in melanoma therapy.
