Temoporfin-loaded 1-tetradecanol-based thermoresponsive solid lipid nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy.

Abstract We developed fully biodegradable/metabolizable nanosystem based on polymer surfactant-stabilized thermoresponsive solid lipid nanoparticles with non-covalently bound photosensitizer temoporfin (T-SLNP) with particle size below 50 nm. The efficacy of T-SLNP was compared with commercial temoporfin formulation in terms of in vitro phototoxicity in 4T1 (murine mammary carcinoma) and MDA-MB-231(human breast adenocarcinoma) cells and of in vivo anticancer effect in Nu/Nu mice bearing MDA-MB-231 tumors . In vitro study demonstrated faster accumulation kinetics in the cells for our formulation design resulting in higher phototoxicity against the tumor cells. In vivo anticancer efficacy was markedly improved by T-SLNP compared with commercial temoporfin formulation. Owing to controlled and sustained release properties, subcellular size, biocompatibility with tissue and cells, the T-SLNP nanodispersion prepared in this study represents promising drug delivery system applicable in cancer treatment.