Enhanced anticancer efficacy of oxaliplatin-loaded PEGylated niosomes in breast cancer treatment

Breast cancer remains to be one of the most prevalent cancers in women, requiring enhanced treatment approaches. This research improved the formulation of oxaliplatin-loaded PEGylated niosomes with a Central Composite Design (CCD) focused on particle size and drug entrapment efficiency (EE). The antitumor efficacy of the improved niosomes was assessed in vitro utilizing MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, oxidative stress responses were evaluated, including changes in enzymatic antioxidant defense mechanisms (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and indicators of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels). The niosomes demonstrated remarkable stability for 2 months at 4 °C, along with pH-dependent drug release. Cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated that PEGylated oxaliplatin-loaded niosomes (PEG-Nio-OXA) exhibited biocompatibility with human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF) while markedly decreasing MCF-7 cell survival. Gene expression study indicated that PEG-Nio-OXA and oxaliplatin-loaded niosomes (Nio-OXA) enhanced pro-apoptotic markers (Bax, caspase-3, caspase-9) while suppressing anti-apoptotic and metastasis-related indicators (Bcl2, MMP-2, and MMP-9). Furthermore, Nio-OXA administration increased oxidative stress, as seen by increased malondialdehyde (98 µM) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels while also elevating the enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (90 U/mL) and catalase (90 U/mL). Migration experiments verified reduced cellular motility post-treatment. The results indicate that PEG-Nio-OXA is a potential delivery strategy for oxaliplatin in breast cancer treatment.