Oleanolic acid-loaded PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles combined with heparin sodium-loaded PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles for enhancing chemotherapy to liver cancer

AimHeparin sodium (HS)-loaded polylactic-co-glycolic acid-D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (PLGA-TPGS) nanoparticles (HPTNs) were prepared as sustained and targeted delivery carriers and combined with oleanolic acid (OA)-loaded PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles (OPTNs) that had been investigated in our previous work to form a combination therapy system for the treatment of liver cancer.Main methodsTo inspect cellular uptake and evaluate liver-targeting performance by analysing drug concentrations and cryosections, fluorescent probe coumarin-6 and eosin was used in preparations of HS/eosin-loaded, HS/coumarin-6-loaded, and OA/coumarin-6-loaded PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles. All of these NPs were characterized in terms of size, size distribution, surface charge, drug loading, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release profile. The apoptosis of HepG2 cells induced by OPTNs combined with HPTNs was determined by Annexin V-FITC staining and PI labelling.Key findingsTransmission electron microscopy indicated that all of the nanoparticles were stably dispersed spheres with diameters ranging from 100 to 200 nm. The results demonstrated that fluorescent nanoparticles were efficiently internalized into HepG2 and HCa-F cells, and that they exhibited enhanced liver targeting. The combination of HPTNs and OPTNs resulted in effective cell inhibition in vitro and a remarkable synergistic anticancer effect in vivo. The cell apoptosis results indicated that OPTNs combined with HPTNs could induce HepG2 cell apoptosis and exert synergistic effects. In vivo pharmacodynamics analysis using a solid tumour-bearing mouse model indicated that OPTNs combined with HPTNs could suppress tumour growth by 67.61%.SignificanceThis research suggests that the combined therapy system of OPTNs and HPTNs could be a new means of hepatoma therapy.