Albumin-based lipoprotein nanoparticles for improved delivery and anticancer activity of curcumin for cancer treatment

To prepare curcumin (CUR)-loaded, dioleoyl phosphoethanolamine-conjugated human serum albumin nanoparticles (NPs) and to evaluate their effectiveness in breast cancer therapy. The CUR-loaded NPs were physicochemically characterized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity in murine (4T1) and human breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cell lines. The antitumor efficacy of the nanomedicine was evaluated in 4T1 tumor bearing mice. The prepared NPs exhibited encapsulation and drug loading efficiencies of approximately 79 and 21%, respectively. The NPs were taken up efficiently and markedly hindered the proliferation of breast cancer cells compared with free drug. NPs exhibited greater suppression of tumor growth in 4T1 tumor bearing mice. CUR-human serum albumin-dioleoyl phosphoethanolamine NPs could be a potential treatment alternative for solid tumors, including breast cancer.