Open Access

Antitumor effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo

  • Authors:
    • Jianmin Qin
    • Lin Yang
    • Xia Sheng
    • Zhongqiu Sa
    • Tao Huang
    • Qi Li
    • Kepan Gao
    • Qinghua Chen
    • Jingwei Ma
    • Hebai Shen
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: March 2, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8168
  • Pages: 6137-6146
  • Copyright: © Qin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that brucine is able to inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells and growth of animal tumors, and may be a promising anticancer drug. However, high toxicity, poor water solubility, short half‑life, narrow therapeutic window, and similar therapeutic and toxic doses limit its clinical application in the treatment of malignant tumors. In our previous study, brucine immuno‑nanoparticles were successfully prepared and added to the culture medium of liver cancer SMMC‑7721 cells, and the results indicated that the brucine immuno‑nanoparticles were able to target the cell membrane of liver cancer SMMC‑7721 cells and significantly inhibit the proliferation, adhesion, invasion and metastasis of SMMC‑7721 cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antitumor effect of brucine immuno‑nanoparticles in vivo by establishing an in situ transplanted liver cancer in nude mice. The results indicated that in vivo application of the brucine immuno‑nanoparticles resulted in temporary liver and kidney damage, and significantly reduced the α‑fetoprotein (AFP) secretion of tumor cells (Bru‑NP‑MAb vs. the other groups; P<0.05). The brucine concentration of tumor tissues in the brucine immuno‑nanoparticles group was significantly increased compared with that of the brucine nanoparticles group (Bru‑NP‑MAb vs. Bru‑NP group or brucine group; P<0.05). The brucine immuno‑nanoparticles were able to inhibit tumor growth and cluster of differentiation 34 expression and angiogenesis of tumor tissues, and induce the apoptosis of tumor cells (Bru‑NP‑MAb vs. Bru‑NP group or brucine group; P<0.05). In conclusion, as a novel type of targeted drug, brucine nanoparticles combined with anti‑AFP monoclonal antibodies was more effective compared with brucine nanoparticles or brucine alone in inhibiting tumor growth via the enhancement of apoptosis, and the suppression of proliferation and angiogenesis in vivo. Therefore, the brucine immuno‑nanoparticle is a promising targeted drug for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
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May-2018
Volume 15 Issue 5

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Qin J, Yang L, Sheng X, Sa Z, Huang T, Li Q, Gao K, Chen Q, Ma J, Shen H, Shen H, et al: Antitumor effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. Oncol Lett 15: 6137-6146, 2018
APA
Qin, J., Yang, L., Sheng, X., Sa, Z., Huang, T., Li, Q. ... Shen, H. (2018). Antitumor effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo. Oncology Letters, 15, 6137-6146. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8168
MLA
Qin, J., Yang, L., Sheng, X., Sa, Z., Huang, T., Li, Q., Gao, K., Chen, Q., Ma, J., Shen, H."Antitumor effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo". Oncology Letters 15.5 (2018): 6137-6146.
Chicago
Qin, J., Yang, L., Sheng, X., Sa, Z., Huang, T., Li, Q., Gao, K., Chen, Q., Ma, J., Shen, H."Antitumor effects of brucine immuno-nanoparticles on hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo". Oncology Letters 15, no. 5 (2018): 6137-6146. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.8168