Apoptosis induced by paclitaxel-loaded copolymer PLA–TPGS in Hep-G2 cells

Hoai Nam Nguyen, Hong Ha Tran Thi, Duong Le Quang, Toan Nguyen Thi, Nhu Hang Tran Thi, Mai Huong Le and Phuong Thu Ha

Abstract

Paclitaxel is an important anticancer drug in clinical use for treatment of a variety of cancers. The clinical application of paclitaxel in cancer treatment is considerably limited due to its serious poor delivery characteristics. In this study paclitaxel-loaded copolymer poly(lactide)–d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (PLA–TPGS) nanoparticles were prepared by a modified solvent extraction/evaporation technique. The characteristics of the nanoparticles, such as surface morphology, size distribution, zeta potential, solubility and apoptosis were investigated in vitro. The obtained spherical nanoparticles were negatively charged with a zeta potential of about −18 mV with the size around 44 nm and a narrow size distribution. The ability of paclitaxel-loaded PLA–TPGS nanoparticles to induce apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Hep-G2) indicates the possibility of developing paclitaxel nanoparticles as a potential universal cancer chemotherapeutic agent