PLGA nanofibers improves the antitumoral effect of daunorubicin

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vivo anti-inflammatory angiogenesis activity and in vitro cytotoxicity on normal and cancer cell models of a drug delivery system consisting of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanofibers loaded with daunorubicin (PLGA-DNR) that were fabricated using an electrospinning process. The PLGA-DNR nanofibers were also characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal fluorescence microscopy. In vitro release of DNR from the nanofibers and its corresponding mechanism were also evaluated. Sixty-five percent of the DNR was released in an initial burst over 8 h, and by 1224 h, eighty-five percent of the DNR had been released. The Higuchi model yielded the best fit to the DNR release profile over the first 8 h, and the corresponding data from 24 to 1224 h could be modeled using zero-order kinetics. The PLGA-DNR nanofibers exhibited a higher cytotoxicity to A431 cells than free DNR but a cytotoxicity similar to free DNR against fibroblast cells. A higher antiangiogenic effect of PLGA nanofibers was observed in the in vivo data when compared to free DNR, and no inflammatory potential was observed for the nanofibers.