In vivo formation of Cu(DDC)2 complex induced by nanomedicine for mesothelioma chemotherapy

Abstract The copper(II) diethyldithiocarbamate (Cu(DDC)2) complex exhibited excellent inhibition to cancer cells. The usual administration is intravenous injection for disulfram and oral for copper. A new strategy was reported to improve the administration efficiency of the Cu(DDC)2 drugs. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles were used to trap disulfram and copper gluconate separately, the two types of drug loaded nanoparticles were injected in mesothelioma-bearing nude mice via intraperitoneal injection. The in vivo formation of Cu(DDC)2 complex was induced by disulfiram and Cu2+ released from PLGA nanoparticles. This strategy avoided many obstacles in the use of Cu(DDC)2 complex as chemotherapeutic and exhibited excellent anticancer activity to mesothelioma.