ApoE enhances nanodisk-mediated curcumin delivery to glioblastoma multiforme cells

Aim: To evaluate the effect of incorporating the polyphenol, curcumin, into nanodisk (ND) particles on its biological activity. Materials & methods: Curcumin-NDs formulated with different scaffold proteins were incubated with cultured glioblastoma multiforme cells. Results: When ApoE was employed as the ND scaffold protein, enhanced curcumin uptake was observed. Furthermore, ApoE curcumin-NDs induced greater cell death than either free curcumin or ApoAI curcumin-NDs. A total of 1 h after exposure of glioblastoma multiforme cells to ApoE curcumin-NDs, significant curcumin uptake was detected while ApoE was localized at the cell surface. After 2 h, a portion of the curcumin had migrated to the nucleus, giving rise to enhanced fluorescence intensity in discrete intranuclear sites. Conclusion: ApoE-mediated interaction of curcumin-NDs with glioblastoma multiforme cells leads to enhanced curcumin uptake and increased biological activity. Original submitted 20 August 2012; Revised submitted 4 February 2013