Comparison of cytotoxic effect of β-cyclodextrin and dextran micelles loaded with doxorubicin in KG-1 cells

Anthracyclines are the main treatment for acute myeloid leukemia, but the use of them is limited by their side effects like cardiotoxicity. Using of polymeric micelles for targeted delivery of doxorubicin by folate receptors in acute myeloid leukemia can reduce these side effects. This study was aimed to compare the cytotoxic effect of β-cyclodextrin and dextran micelles loaded with doxorubicin in KG-1 cells. In this laboratory experimental study, retinoic acid, cyclodextrin, folic acid, retinoic acid, dextran and folic acid conjugations were synthesized by esterification. Loading of drug in the micelles was done by direct dissolution method. Micellar nanoparticles which were optimized according to their size, zeta potential, loading efficiency and release efficiency of doxorubicin were selected and used to investigate the preventive effect of cell growing on KG-1cells by MTT assay. The doxorubicin loaded in retinoic acid/ cyclodextrin/ folic acid micellar nanoparticles in the concentration of 0.377μg/ml (in KG-1 cells) were about 10.5 times more cytotoxic than free doxorubicin, 3.3 times more cytotoxic than doxorubicin loaded in retinoic acid/ cyclodextrin micelles and 8.3 times more cytotoxic than doxorubicin loaded in retinoic acid/ dextran/ folic acid micelles. The doxorubicin loaded in retinoic acid/ dextran/ folic acid micelles were about 1.3 times more cytotoxic than free doxorubicin and 1.2 times more cytotoxic than doxorubicin loaded in retinoic acid/ dextran micelles (P<0.05). Micellar nanoparticles of retinoic acid/ cyclodextrin/ folic acid loaded by doxorubicin could affect KG-1 cells more effective than free drug and retinoic acid/ dextran/ folic acid loaded by doxorubicin.