Development of PLGA nanoparticles simultaneously loaded with vincristine and verapamil for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the malignant tumors with poor chemo-sensitivity to vincristine sulfate (VCR) due to multi-drug resistance (MDR). Combinations of encapsulated VCR and verapamil hydrochloride (VRP, a chemo-sensitizer) might be a potential strategy to improve HCC therapeutic efficacy of VCR. PLGA nanoparticles (PLGANPs) simultaneously loaded with VCR and VRP (CVn) were prepared. The entrapment efficiencies of VCR and VRP were 70.92 ± 3.78% and 85.78 ± 3.23%, respectively (n = 3). The HCC therapeutic activity of CVn was assessed using MTT assay. In BEL7402 and BEL7402/5-FU human hepatocarcinoma cell lines, CVn had the same antitumor effect as one free drug/another agent-loaded PLGANPs (C + Vn or Cn + V) combination and coadministration of two single-agent-loaded PLGANPs (Cn + Vn), which was slightly higher than that of the free VCR/VRP combination (C - V). CVn might cause lower normal tissue drug toxicity by the enhanced permeation and retention effect in vivo. Additionally, CVn might cause fewer drug-drug interaction and be the most potential formulation to simultaneously deliver VCR and VRP to the target cell in vivo than the other three nanoparticle formulations (C + Vn, Cn + V, and Cn + Vn). Therefore, we speculate that CVn might be the most effective preparation in the treatment of drug-resistant human HCC in vivo.