Enhanced antitumor efficacy of poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)-based methotrexate-loaded implants on sarcoma 180 tumor-bearing mice

Purpose: Methotrexate is widely used in chemotherapy for a variety of malignancies. However, severe toxicity, poor pharmacokinetics, and narrow safety margin of methotrexate limit its clinical application. The aim of this study was to develop sustained-release methotrexate-loaded implants and evaluate antitumor activity of the implants after intratumoral implantation. Materials and methods: We prepared the implants containing methotrexate, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide), and polyethylene glycol 4000 with the melt-molding technique. The implants were characterized with regards to drug content, morphology, in vitro, and in vivo release profiles. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were carried out to investigate the physicochemical properties of the implants. Furthermore, the antitumor activity of the implants was tested in a sarcoma 180 mouse model. Results: The implants were prepared as solid rods. Scanning electron microscopy images showed a smooth surface of the implant, suggesting that methotrexate was homogeneously dispersed in the polymeric matrix. The results of DSC and FTIR indicated that no significant interaction between methotrexate and the polymer was observed in the implants. Both in vitro and in vivo release profiles of the implants were characterized by burst release followed by sustained release of methotrexate. Intratumoral implantation of methotrexate-loaded implants could efficiently delay tumor growth. Moreover, an increase in the dose of implants led to a higher tumor suppression rate without additional systemic toxicity. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that methotrexate-loaded implants had significant antitumor efficacy in a sarcoma 180 mouse model without dose-limiting side effects, and suggest that the implants could be potentially applied as an intratumoral delivery system to treat cancer.