Targeted combined therapy in 2D and 3D cultured MCF-7 cells using metformin and erlotinib loaded mesoporous silica magnetic nanoparticles.

Abstract

AIM\nThis research aims to develop potential therapeutic nanostructures (NSs) encapsulating metformin (MET) and erlotinib (ER) for combinational therapy in breast cancer.\n\n\nMETHODS\nThe ER and MET, both were loaded on mesoporous \u200csilica magnetic nanoparticles conjugated with polyethylene glycol and methotrexate to achieve targeted NSs. The developed NSs were characterised using SEM, DLS, and FTIR. Afterward, MTT, Trypan blue, and DNA extraction assays were operated for biological evaluations in the 2\u2009D and 3\u2009D MCF-7 cells.\n\n\nRESULTS\nPhysicochemical approaches indicated the mean diameter of 69.4\u2009nm ±9.5 (PDI =0.64), and neutral charge (2\u2009mv) for the developed NSs. MET and ER-loaded NSs exhibited 62.56% ± 4.41 and 67.73% ± 3.03 drug release amount in pH =5.4, respectively. MTT assay revealed that ER- and MET-loaded NSs had less metabolic activity (≈ 20%) in comparison with non-targeted NSs.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nOverall, our combined ER, and MET-loaded targeted NSs result in a synergistic inhibitory impact on MCF-7 cells.