Evaluation of the anticancer effect of dendrimer loaded with rapamycin on breast cancer cells

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that drug release using nanocarriers has several advantages, including increased solubility, tumor targeting, increased cell accumulation, reduced toxicity, and increased maximum tolerated doses. The aim of this study is to improve the antiproliferative effect of rapamycin in human breast cancer cells by using nanoformulation of rapamycin in fifth generation PAMAM in a way that increases penetration and stability and preserves the physicochemical properties of rapamycin. In this way, breast cancer cells can be exposed to a specific dose of nanoformulated medicine during a certain period of time. Materials and methods Rapamycin dendrimer nanoparticles were synthesized in one step under aqueous conditions. Size and surface charge of synthesized nanoparticles were determined by DLS. Surface morphology and chemical structure of nanoparticles were determined by FTIR. The rate of loading and release of rapamycin compound from the synthesized nanoparticles was calculated. MTT and Real-time PCR techniques were used to investigate and compare the effect of nanoformulated and pure rapamycin on the survival rate and the expression of genes related to apoptosis of MCF-7 cells, respectively. Conclusion Results showed that rapamycin nanoformulation with dendrimer can increase the medicinal performance of this anticancer compound. Key words: breast cancer, rapamycin, dendrimer, mTOR signaling pathway