1: J Control Release. 2009 Jan 5;133(1):11-7. Epub 2008 Oct 9. Paclitaxel-loaded PEGylated PLGA-based nanoparticles: in vitro and in vivo evaluation. Danhier F, Lecouturier N, Vroman B, Jérôme C, Marchand-Brynaert J, Feron O, Préat V. Université Catholique de Louvain, Unité de Pharmacie Galénique, Avenue Mounier, 73-20, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. The purpose of this study was to develop Cremophor EL-free nanoparticles loaded with Paclitaxel (PTX), intended to be intravenously administered, able to improve the therapeutic index of the drug and devoid of the adverse effects of Cremophor EL. PTX-loaded PEGylated PLGA-based were prepared by simple emulsion and nanoprecipitation. The incorporation efficiency of PTX was higher with the nanoprecipitation technique. The release behavior of PTX exhibited a biphasic pattern characterized by an initial burst release followed by a slower and continuous release. The in vitro anti-tumoral activity was assessed using the Human Cervix Carcinoma cells (HeLa) by the MTT test and was compared to the commercial formulation Taxol and to Cremophor EL. When exposed to 25 microg/ml of PTX, the cell viability was lower for PTX-loaded nanoparticles than for Taxol (IC(50) 5.5 vs 15.5 microg/ml). Flow cytometry studies showed that the cellular uptake of PTX-loaded nanoparticles was concentration and time dependent. Exposure of HeLa cells to Taxol and PTX-loaded nanoparticles induced the same percentage of apoptotic cells. PTX-loaded nanoparticles showed greater tumor growth inhibition effect in vivo on TLT tumor, compared with Taxol. Therefore, PTX-loaded nanoparticles may be considered as an effective anticancer drug delivery system for cancer chemotherapy. PMID: 18950666 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] Related Links Paclitaxel-loaded PLGA nanoparticles: preparation, physicochemical characterization and in vitro anti-tumoral activity. [J Control Release. 2002] PMID:12363453 In vitro and in vivo studies on vitamin E TPGS-emulsified poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles for paclitaxel formulation. [Biomaterials. 2006] PMID:16313953 Paclitaxel-loaded poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles for radiotherapy in hypoxic human tumor cells in vitro. [Cancer Biol Ther. 2008] PMID:18367873 Thermosensitive and biodegradable polymeric micelles for paclitaxel delivery. [J Control Release. 2005] PMID:15763618 Self-assembled biodegradable nanoparticles developed by direct dialysis for the delivery of paclitaxel. [Pharm Res. 2005] PMID:16132339