The cytotoxity of paclitaxel-nanoparticles with dual ligands combined with ultrasound irradiation on drug-resistant breast cancer cells

Abstract

Objective To screening optimized ultrasound (US) condition for MCF-7 cells and MCF-7/Tax cells, and to investigate the effect of dual-ligands nanoparticles (NPs) combined with US on overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR). Methods To obtain optimized US condition, cell viability and cellular uptake of NPs treated with MCF-7 cells and MCF-7/Tax cells were detected under different ultrasonic parameters including ultrasound intensity, exposure duration and microbubble concentration. MTT assay was performed to observe the effect of NPs combined with US on cells. Results The optimal US conditions for MCF-7 cells was irradiation intensity 0.6 W/cm2, irradiation time 80 s, and the MBs concentration with volume ratio of microbubbles to medium was 1∶10; and for MCF-7/Tax cells, irradiation intensity 0.6 W/cm2, irradiation time 80 s, and the MBs concentration with volume ratio of microbubbles to medium was 1∶20. Compared with individual NPs, NPs assisted by US exhibited greater killing ability for MCF-7 (IC50 1.43 ng/ml) and MCF-7/Tax cells (IC50<800 ng/ml). Conclusions US effect could enhance drug sensitivity of the dual-functionized NPs for MCF-7/Tax cells, indicating that US irradiation had potential assisted modality to reverse tumor MDR. Key words: Ultrasonography; Microbubbles; Multidrug resistance; Dual-ligands nanoparticles; Breast neoplasms