Photodynamic therapy with chlorine-aluminum phalocyanine in nano-structured lipid carriers containing doxorrubicin to treat breast cancer

• Grant number: 21/02617-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2021
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Biochemical and Molecular Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Eneida de Paula
• Grantee: Talita Cesarim Mendonça
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most common solid neoplasm in the world and the most diagnosed among women since the 1990s, affecting several age groups, and being the second most common cause of death, due to cancer, among women. Doxorubicin (DOX) is an antineoplastic antibiotic from the anthracycline group, isolated from fungal cultures of Streptomyces peucetius. DOX is used to treat breast cancer, solid childhood tumors, sarcomas and lymphomas, with significant activity against tumors refractory to other drugs. Nanostructured lipid carriers are nanoparticles made up internally of a mixture of lipids (solid and liquid at room or body temperature) stabilized by a surfactant. These carriers are efficient for encapsulating sustained release of molecules that are poorly soluble in water, such as DOX. In PDT, a photochemical reaction is used to cause selective tissue destruction, this therapeutic technique requires the use of a photosensitizing agent, a light source and oxygen molecules. The present project aims at the development of optimized formulations (by factorial design) of nanostructured lipid carriers containing the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (DOX) and the chlor-aluminum phthalocyanine photosensitizer (FcAlCl) for the treatment of breast cancer. Such formulations will be characterized in terms of size, polydispersity index, Zeta potential and number of nanoparticles in suspension, encapsulation efficiency, pH, infrared spectroscopy and electronic cryomicroscopy. Their shelf stability and sustained release kinetics of DOX will also be evaluated. The cytotoxic effects of the formulations produced on breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF7 and 4T1-luciferase) will be compared with non-tumor strains (MCF10 and NIH-3T3), in in vitro tests. We hope, therefore, to develop an innovative nanotechnological platform that will allow combining chemotherapy and PDT to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RODRIGUES DA SILVA, GUSTAVO HENRIQUE; DE MOURA, LUDMILLA DAVID; DE CARVALHO, FABIOLA VIEIRA; GERONIMO, GABRIELA; MENDONCA, TALITA CESARIM; DE LIMA, FERNANDO FREITAS; DE PAULA, ENEIDA. Antineoplastics Encapsulated in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers. Molecules, v. 26, n. 22, NOV 2021. (19/17784-0, 21/02617-1, 18/12121-0, 20/01237-8, 17/15174-5)