Tumor-targeted niosome as novel carrier for intravenous administration of tocotrienol

Delivery of melittin-loaded niosomes for breast cancer treatment: an in vitro and in vivo evaluation of anti-cancer effect

Background

Melittin, a peptide component of honey bee venom, is an appealing candidate for cancer therapy. In the current study, melittin, melittin-loaded niosome, and empty niosome had been optimized and the anticancer effect assessed in vitro on 4T1 and SKBR3 breast cell lines and in vivo on BALB/C inbred mice. "Thin-layer hydration method" was used for preparing the niosomes; different niosomal formulations of melittin were prepared and characterized in terms of morphology, size, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, and stability. A niosome was formulated and loaded with melittin as a promising drug carrier system for chemotherapy of the breast cancer cells. Hemolysis, apoptosis, cell cytotoxicity, invasion and migration of selected concentrations of melittin, and melittin-loaded niosome were evaluated on 4T1 and SKBR3 cells using hemolytic activity assay, flow cytometry, MTT assay, soft agar colony assay, and wound healing assay. Real-time PCR was used to determine the gene expression. 40 BALB/c inbred mice were used; then, the histopathology, P53 immunohistochemical assay and estimate of renal and liver enzyme activity for all groups had been done.

Results

This study showed melittin-loaded niosome is an excellent substitute in breast cancer treatment due to enhanced targeting, encapsulation efficiency, PDI, and release rate and shows a high anticancer effect on cell lines. The melittin-loaded niosome affects the genes expression by studied cells were higher than other samples; down-regulates the expression of Bcl2, MMP2, and MMP9 genes while they up-regulate the expression of Bax, Caspase3 and Caspase9 genes. They have also enhanced the apoptosis rate and inhibited cell migration, invasion in both cell lines compared to the melittin samples. Results of histopathology showed reduce mitosis index, invasion and pleomorphism in melittin-loaded niosome. Renal and hepatic biomarker activity did not significantly differ in melittin-loaded niosome and melittin compared to healthy control. In immunohistochemistry, P53 expression did not show a significant change in all groups.

Conclusions

Our study successfully declares that melittin-loaded niosome had more anti-cancer effects than free melittin. This project has demonstrated that niosomes are suitable vesicle carriers for melittin, compare to the free form.

Recent advances in non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes): Fabrication, characterization, pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications

Development of nanocarriers for drug delivery has received considerable attention due to their potential in achieving targeted delivery to the diseased site while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. Safe and efficient drug delivery has always been a challenge in medicine. During the last decade, a large amount of interest has been drawn on the fabrication of surfactant-based vesicles to improve drug delivery. Niosomes are self-assembled vesicular nano-carriers formed by hydration of non-ionic surfactant, cholesterol or other amphiphilic molecules that serve as a versatile drug delivery system with a variety of applications ranging from dermal delivery to brain-targeted delivery. A large number of research articles have been published reporting their fabrication methods and applications in pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. Niosomes have the same advantages as liposomes, such as the ability to incorporate both hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds. Besides, niosomes can be fabricated with simple methods, require less production cost and are stable over an extended period, thus overcoming the major drawbacks of liposomes. This review provides a comprehensive summary of niosomal research to date, it provides a detailed overview of the formulation components, types of niosomes, effects of components on the formation of niosomes, fabrication and purification methods, physical characterization techniques of niosomes, recent applications in pharmaceutical field such as in oral, ocular, topical, pulmonary, parental and transmucosal drug delivery, and cosmetic applications. Finally, limitations and the future outlook for this delivery system have also been discussed.

Niosomes: a review of their structure, properties, methods of preparation, and medical applications

Target-specific drug-delivery systems for the administration of pharmaceutical compounds enable the localization of drugs to diseased sites. Various types of drug-delivery systems utilize carriers, such as immunoglobulins, serum proteins, synthetic polymers, liposomes, and microspheres. The vesicular system of niosomes, with their bilayer structure assembled by nonionic surfactants, is able to enhance the bioavailability of a drug to a predetermined area for a period. The amphiphilic nature of niosomes promotes their efficiency in encapsulating lipophilic or hydrophilic drugs. Other additives, such as cholesterol, can be used to maintain the rigidity of the niosomes’ structure. This narrative review describes fundamental aspects of niosomes, including their structural components, methods of preparation, limitations, and current applications to various diseases.