Development and Characterization of Curcumin Loaded PEGylated Niosomal Nanoparticles: Potential Anti-Cancer Effect on...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in women.
• Folate metabolic pathways and the Reduced Folate Carrier (RFC) are crucial in cancer progression.
• Curcumin, a potent anticancer compound, suffers from poor stability and bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the anticancer effects of curcumin-loaded niosomal nanoparticles in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells.
• To investigate the impact of this formulation on RFC, BAX, and BCL-2 gene expression.
• To assess the potential of niosomal curcumin as a breast cancer therapeutic approach.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of curcumin-loaded niosomal nanoparticles via thin-film hydration.
• Characterization of nanoparticles using FE-SEM, DLS, and FT-IR.
• Assessment of cytotoxicity (MTT assay), gene expression (Real-Time PCR), apoptosis, and cell cycle (Flow cytometry).

Main Results:

• Niosomal nanoparticles effectively encapsulated curcumin, enhancing its anti-proliferative activity.
• Curcumin-loaded niosomes significantly increased RFC and BAX gene expression while decreasing BCL-2 expression.
• Both free and nano-formulated curcumin induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin-loaded niosomal nanoparticles demonstrate enhanced anticancer efficacy against breast cancer cells.
• This formulation represents a promising strategy for improving breast cancer treatment outcomes.
• Niosomal delivery significantly boosts the therapeutic potential of curcumin.