The effect of mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with epirubicin on drug-resistant cancer cells

In chemotherapy for cancer treatment, the cell resistance to multiple anticancer drugs is the major clinical problem. In the present study, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were used as a carrier for epirubicin (EPI) in order to improve the cytotoxic efficacy of this drug against the P glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpressing cell line.
MSNs with phosphonate groups were synthesized and characterized. The cytotoxicity of the prepared nanoparticles on drug-sensitive human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and drug-resistant cancer cells (MCF-7/ADR) was evaluated.
The hydrodynamic size of nanoparticles was 98 nm and surface charge was negative. The viability of sensitive MCF-7 and resistant MCF-7/ADR cells after incubation with MSNs containing EPI at concentration of 5 μg/ml was about 75% and 44%. On the other hand, the viability of sensitive and resistant cells after incubation with free EPI at this concentration was about 48% and 60%, respectively.
These nanoparticles exhibited suitable drug efficiencies against drug-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells in in vitro experiments.