Solid lipid nanoparticles of anticancer drugs against MCF-7 cell line and a murine breast cancer model

To develop some promising anticancer drug loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) for further clinical application, SLN carrying mitoxantrone (MTO), paclitaxel (PCT), methotrexate (MTX) were prepared and their cytotoxic effects on the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 were investigated. The 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were interpolated from growth curves obtained by MTT assay. Moreover, the inhibition effects of the drugs incorporated in SLN on a murine breast cancer model induced by MCF-7 cells were further examined. In vitro cytotoxicity of MTO loaded SLN (IC50/72h = 1.25 +/- 0.19 mu M vs 2.13 +/- 0.37 mu M) and MTX loaded SLN (IC50/72h = 93.80 +/- 6.54 nM vs 153.16 +/- 11.54 nM) was higher than that of free drug formulations. In vitro cytotoxicity of PCT-loaded SLN and free drug formulation IC50/72 h were similar. Then, the MCF-7 breast cancer model in mice was established. In mice treated with SLN injections for a month, tumor was significantly inhibited. Mean tumor size of mice treated with SLN was significantly smaller than that with free drug (P< 0.05). Additionally, the percent inhibition of mice treated with SLN was obviously lower than that with free drug (P< 0.05). Therefore, the conclusion can be drawn that anticancer drugs carried by SLN, including mitoxantrone, methotrexate and paclitaxel, may be more effective than free anticancer drugs for breast cancer treatment.