Mixed PEG-PE/Vitamin E Tumor-Targeted Immunomicelles as Carriers for Poorly Soluble Anti-Cancer Drugs: Improved Drug Solubilization and Enhanced In Vitro Cytotoxicity

摘要

Two poorly soluble, potent anticancer drugs, paclitaxel and camptothecin, were successfully solubilized by mixed micelles of polyethylene glycol-phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PEG-PE) and vitamin E. Drug containing micelles were additionally modified with anti-nucleosome monoclonal antibody 2C5 (mAb 2C5), which can specifically bring micelles to tumor cells in vitro. The optimized micelles had an average size of about 13-to-22 nm and the immuno-modification of micelles did not significantly change it. The solubilization of both drugs by the mixed micelles was more efficient than by micelles made of PEG-PE alone. Solubilization of camptothecin in micelles prevented also the hydrolysis of active lactone form of the drug to inactive carboxylate form. Drug loaded mixed micelles and mAb 2C5-immunomicelles demonstrated significantly higher in vitro cytotoxicity than free drug against various cancer cell lines.