Anticancer effects of silymarin-loaded ACA-HA/sulfonamide IR-MOF nanoplatform in CT-26 xenograft model

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Silymarin, a natural compound, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties beneficial for colon cancer treatment.
• Poor bioavailability limits silymarin's clinical efficacy in cancer therapy.
• Targeted drug delivery systems are crucial for improving cancer treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel metal-organic framework (MOF) based drug delivery system for silymarin.
• To enhance silymarin's bioavailability and targeted delivery for colorectal cancer treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy of the novel system against colon cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a modified MOF, Sul-IRMOF, incorporating 6-aminocaproic acid (ACA) and hyaluronic acid (HA).
• Encapsulation of silymarin into the modified MOF to create Sul-IRMOF-ACA-HA@Sily for targeted delivery.
• In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity, oxidative stress markers (total thiol, GSH, CAT, SOD, MDA, NO) using histological staining, biochemical analyses, and flow cytometry on CT-26 colon cancer cells.

Main Results:

• Sul-IRMOF-ACA-HA@Sily demonstrated significantly enhanced cytotoxicity against CT-26 cells compared to silymarin alone.
• The novel system significantly modulated oxidative stress markers, reducing GSH and CAT/SOD activities while increasing MDA and NO levels.
• The targeted delivery mechanism via HA receptors was successfully implemented, improving silymarin's therapeutic potential.

Conclusions:

• The synergistic combination of ACA, HA, and Sul-IRMOF effectively overcomes silymarin's bioavailability issues.
• Sul-IRMOF-ACA-HA@Sily represents a promising novel therapeutic candidate for colorectal cancer treatment.
• This nanotechnology-based approach offers a viable strategy for improving the efficacy of natural compounds in cancer therapy.