Engineered beta-cyclodextrin-based carrier for targeted doxorubicin delivery in breast cancer therapy in vivo

In this study, we prepared a beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-based carrier consisting of β-CD, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and folic acid (FA) (CDPF) for improved doxorubicin (DOX) delivery to targeted breast cancer in vitro and in vivo. The morphology and size distribution were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, which revealed in particles ranging from 38nm to 52nm in size. DOX from CDPF was released in a sustained manner for 48h. Cell viability analysis showed the low toxicity of free DOX, whereas CDPF-DOX remarkably exhibited reduced viability after incubation for 7 days. In vivo animal test showed that intravenous injection of CDPF-DOX contributes to decreased tumor volume, along with no systemic toxicity and cardiotoxicity. The results suggested that CDPF can maximize the efficacy of DOX delivery; therefore can be used as a good candidate for developing optimal drug delivery systems.