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Combinatorial Effects of Free and Nanoencapsulated Forms of Cabazitaxel and RAS-Selective Lethal 3 in Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

Background: Combination therapies for cancer have gained considerable attention due to their potential for enhancing therapeutic efficacy and decreasing drug resistance. Introducing nanodrug delivery systems in this context may further improve the therapy due to targeted delivery, improved drug stability, sustained drug release, and prevention of rapid clearance from circulation. This study evaluates the combinatorial effects of two cytotoxic drugs, cabazitaxel (CBZ) and RSL3 (RAS-selective lethal 3), in free form as well as encapsulated within poly(2-ethyl butyl cyanoacrylate) (PEBCA) nanoparticles (NPs) in breast cancer cell lines. Methods: Cell proliferation was assessed using IncuCyte technology, and synergistic drug effects were determined with SynergyFinder Plus. Cell viability was measured with the MTT assay. Additionally, we investigated whether the combinatorial effects were reflected in alterations of metabolic activity or reactive oxygen species (ROS) production using Seahorse technology and the CM-H2DCFDA assay, respectively. Results: The data presented reveal, for the first time, that CBZ and RSL3 exhibit synergistically or additively combinatorial effects on various breast cancer cell lines. The pattern of cytotoxic effects was consistent, whether the drugs were in free form or encapsulated in NPs. Moreover, the combinatorial effects were not observed to be associated with early changes in metabolic activity or ROS production. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of CBZ and RSL3 in combinatorial nanomedicine as they may act synergistically. Further studies are warranted to better understand the mechanisms behind these combinatorial effects.
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Category

Academic article

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Remya Valsalakumari
  • Marek Feith
  • Solveig Pettersen
  • Andreas Åslund
  • Ýrr Mørch
  • Tore Skotland
  • Kirsten Sandvig
  • Gunhild Mari Mælandsmo
  • Tore Geir Iversen

Affiliation

  • SINTEF Industry / Biotechnology and Nanomedicine
  • University of Oslo
  • UiT The Arctic University of Norway
  • Oslo University Hospital
  • NADENO NANOSCIENCE AS

Year

2025

Published in

Pharmaceutics

Volume

17

Issue

5

Page(s)

657 - 657

View this publication at Norwegian Research Information Repository