Cytotoxic Activity of Curcumin- and Resveratrol-Loaded Core–Shell Systems in Resistant and Sensitive Human Ovarian Cancer Cells

Due to the high mortality rate of ovarian cancer, there is a need to find novel strategies to improve current treatment modalities. Natural compounds offer great potential in this field but also require the careful design of systems for their delivery to cancer cells. Our study explored the anticancer effects of novel resveratrol (RSV)- and curcumin (CUR)-loaded core-shell nanoparticles in human ovarian cancer cells. We evaluated the in vitro cytotoxicity of various nanocarriers (CUR 1-3, RSV I-III) delivered to MDAH-2774 and SKOV-3 cells in comparison to free RVS and CUR after 24 h and 72 h treatment. A two-way ANOVA was applied to compare the results of the MTT assay. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to visualize cellular uptake and mitochondrial localization. Our findings revealed that the cytotoxicity of the core-shell nanoparticles with RSV was not significant, but the systems loaded with CUR effectively decreased the viability of cells. The MDAH-2774 cell line was more sensitive to the treatment than SKOV-3. The enhanced cellular uptake of CUR delivered by core-shell systems and its colocalization with mitochondria were demonstrated. Further research focused on the detailed biological effects of the most effective systems (CUR 2 and CUR 3) should be conducted to provide detailed insights. These findings highlight the promising role of CUR-loaded nanoparticles in ovarian cancer treatment.