Abstract

Objective: To explore the targeting effect of PLGA-NP and iRGD co-administration with PTXPLGA NP (PTX-PLGA + iRGD) on colorectal cancer.

Methods: Whether PLGA-NP co-administration with iRGD peptide could show effective tumor-targeting ability in contrast to with PLGA-NP in colorectal cancer mice models was evaluated. Moreover, the chemotherapeutics Paclitaxel (PTX) was loaded into the PLGA-NP to impart anti-tumor efficiency to the PTX-PLGA. Whether iRGD co-administration with PTX-PLGA NP (PTX-PLGA + iRGD) in colorectal cancer models enabled PTX to achieve better anti-tumor efficiency and biocompatibility was further assessed.

Results: The targeting ability of PLGA-NP was enhanced in cell experiment and colorectal cancer mice models by co-administration of iRGD. As a result, PTX-PLGA + iRGD achieved better anti-tumor efficacy than PTX and PTX-PLGA.

Conlusion: The nanocarrier based on PLGA with specific targeting ability could promote the clinical application of various chemotherapeutics similar to PTX. The combination of drug-loaded nanoparticles and iRGD could develop into a promising drug delivery system.

Keywords: Nanocarrier, paclitaxel, targeting ability, anti-tumor efficiency, colorectal cancer, iRGD.