Anti-HPV Nanoemulsified-Imiquimod: A New and Potent Formulation to Treat Cervical Cancer

Autor(es)

Frank, Luiza Abrahao ^{[1, 2]} ; Gazzi, R. P. ^[2] ; Mello, P. A. ^{[3, 4]} ; Chaves, P. ^[1] ; Pena, F. ^[2] ; Beck, R. C. R. ^[1] ; Buffon, A. ^[1] ; Pohlmann, A. R. ^{[1, 3]} ; Guterres, Silvia S. ^{[1, 2]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Programa Posgrad Ciencias Farmaceut, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Fac Farm, Av Ipiranga 2752-405, BR-90610000 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[3] UFCSPA, Lab Biol Celular, BR-90050170 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Fac Farm, Lab Anal Bioquim & Citol, BR-90610000 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: AAPS PHARMSCITECH; v. 21, n. 2 JAN 6 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Cervical cancer is associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV) and nowadays is the fourth most frequent cancer among women. One of the treatments for this disease is based on the application of imiquimod. In this study, we postulated that the use of imiquimod in nanoemulsion results in a better antitumoral effect than the drug administered in its nonencapsulated form for the treatment of cervical cancer. Permeability studies using vaginal mucosa, as membrane, and in vitro studies involving cervical cancer cells (viability, clonogenic assay, and cell death analysis) were performed. We showed that low amount of encapsulated imiquimod permeated the vaginal mucosa. However, a higher percentage of cells died after the treatment with low amount (3.0 mu mol L-1) of the formulation compared to the free drug. In addition, the innovative formulation presented a combinatory mechanism of cell death involving autophagy and apoptosis. Our results demonstrate that the imiquimod-loaded nanoemulsioncan be an alternative product for the treatment of cervical cancer validating the hypothesis. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 14/50928-2 - INCT 2014: Nanotecnologia Farmacêutica: uma abordagem transdisciplinar
• Beneficiário: Maria Vitória Lopes Badra Bentley
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático