Targeted co-delivery of epirubicin and NAS-24 aptamer to cancer cells using selenium nanoparticles for enhancing tumor response in vitro and in vivo

Chemotherapy is a commonly used cancer treatment strategy that causes severe side effects by damaging normal tissue. Therefore, targeted drug delivery systems have attracted great attention for the treatment of cancer in recent years. In this study, epirubicin (EPI)-loaded-NAS-24-functionalized PEI-PEG-5TR1 aptamer coated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), known as the ENPPASe complex, were developed and used for targeted delivery of both EPI (anticancer drug) and NAS-24 aptamer (apoptosis induction agent) to MCF7 (human breast carcinoma cell) and C26 (murine colon carcinoma cell) cancer cells using 5TR1 aptamer as the target agent. The ENPPASe complex could significantly reduce the toxicity in non-target cells (HEPG2, hepatocellular carcinoma cell). As with the EPI alone, the ENPPASe complex could significantly reduce cell viability in the target cancer cells (MCF-7 and C26). In addition, the complex significantly reduced the tumor growth in cancer-bearing mice compared to EPI treatment alone.