Carrier-free curcumin nanoparticles for EGFR-positive cancer therapy
A carrier-free nanoparticle based on the self-assembly of curcumin-erlotinib conjugate (EPC) that exhibits stronger cell killing, better anti-migration effects, and anti-invasion effects for pancreatic cancer cells than the combination of free curcumin and erlotinib.
1. A method for reducing the viability of a population of cancer cells, the method comprising delivering a plurality of nanoparticles to the population of cancer cells, each nanoparticle comprising a conjugate, the conjugate comprising erlotinib and curcumin linked with a polyethylene glycol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of cancer cells comprises EGFR positive cancer cells.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the EGFR positive cancer cells comprise pancreatic cancer cells.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the EGFR positive cancer cells comprise human pancreatic cancer cell.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the population of cancer cells are cells of a subject.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the population of cancer cells are ex vivo or in vivo cells of the subject.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the population of cancer cells are in vivo cancer cells, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are delivered by administering a composition comprising the plurality of nanoparticles to the subject.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are administered to the subject at a dosage of from 1 mg/kg to 55 mg/kg.
9. A method for inhibiting the growth of a tumor, the method comprising: introducing a plurality of nanoparticles to a tumor environment, each nanoparticle comprising a conjugate, the conjugate comprising erlotinib and curcumin linked with a polyethylene glycol.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tumor environment comprises a tumor that expresses an EGFR receptor.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tumor environment comprises a pancreatic cancer tumor.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tumor is an in vivo tumor of the subject.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tumor is an in vivo tumor, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are delivered to the tumor by administering a composition comprising the plurality of nanoparticles to the subject.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of nanoparticles are administered to the subject at a dosage of from 1 mg/kg to 55 mg/kg.