Preparation of hydroxyapatite-decorated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres for paclitaxel delivery

Paclitaxel (Tax) is an anticancer drug with extremely low water solubility, and development of the formulation without organic solvents is highly desirable. Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a biocompatible and porous inorganic material that can be used effectively in drug delivery systems, but poor dispersibility in water limits its application. In this study, HA-decorated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) spheres with several micrometers were prepared and characterized. PLG microspheres adsorbed Tax, independent in the HA decorating, and their water dispersibility was retained after the HA decorating. Tax-loaded HA-decorated PLG microspheres (Tax/HA/PLG) could thus be highly dispersed in water, increasing their cellular uptake. Most Tax molecules were stably adsorbed to the HA and HA-decorated PLG (HA/PLG) particles. Although the cytotoxicity of Tax-loaded HA was much lower than that of free Tax, the drug activity of Tax/HA/PLG was markedly improved. Since the morphology of microtubules was changed after the Tax/HA/PLG treatment, the HA/PLG could work as a carrier for Tax.