Polymer particles containing Fe-based metalloporphyrin as a highly efficient stimulator of reactive oxygen species formation in vitro and in vivo

Reactive oxygen species are generated by the redox reaction involving metalloporphyrin and ascorbic acid (AA) and lead to oxidative stress followed by cancer cell death. Polymer particles based on the copolymer of lactic and glycolic acid (PLGA) containing Fe III Cl-tetraphenylporphyrin (FeClTPP) were prepared and characterized. These particles in combination with AA exhibit cytotoxic activity against the K562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia) and MCF7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines. Results in vitro indicated significant antitumor efficiency on mice inoculated with P388 leukemic cells and treated with FeClTPP/AA. The cytotoxic activity of the combined system is achieved due to the formation of reactive oxygen species. The application of this system to the study of anticancer efficiency in vivo on the model of mice that were hypodermically inoculated with P388 lymphocytic leukemia revealed a significant inhibition of tumor growth. The use of FeClTPP in combination with AA seems to be promising in cancer treatment.