Docetaxel Administration via Novel Hierarchical Nanoparticle Reduces Proinflammatory Cytokine Levels in Prostate Cancer Cells

<b>Background:</b> Docetaxel (Doc) resistance in prostate cancer (CaP) patients is associated with the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines that induce an interaction between tumor cells and macrophages. Tumor cell-derived cytokines released in response to increased intracellular concentrations of Doc attract monocytes and macrophages to the tumor site and induce Doc resistance. <b>Objectives:</b> To generate Doc-resistant CaP cell line LNCaP-Doc/R and determine if we could modulate/reduce proinflammatory signals by administering Doc, encapsulated in a PLGA: Chitosan core-shell hierarchical nanoparticle (HNP-Doc) in the resistant and naive CaP Cells. <b>Methods:</b> LNCaP-Doc/R cells were generated by intermittent increasing concentration of Doc, proliferation, growth curve and cytotoxicity of Doc and HNP-Doc were evaluated followed by LNCaP and LNCaP-Doc/R (Doc resistant) CaP cells co-cultured with U937 monocytes with either free Doc or HNP-Doc encapsulated Doc, and various cytokine levels were measured in the conditioned media to assess the cytokine levels. <b>Results:</b> Our results show that LNCaP-Doc-R cells had slower growth in the lag phase, needed a 90-fold increase in Doc concentration to achieve 50% killing. Basal levels of cytokines secreted by LNCaP and LNCaP-Doc/R cells in response to free Doc and HNP-encapsulated Doc differed considerably, with free Doc-treated cells demonstrating, on average, 2-7-fold higher pro-inflammatory cytokine levels as compared to HNP-encapsulated Doc. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IFNγ, IL-1α, and RANTES, were increased ~2.38, ~2.75, and ~5.75-fold, respectively, in free Doc-treated CaP cells and were significantly lower when Doc was delivered via HNP. Further, LNCaP-Doc/R cells co-cultured with U937 had significantly lower markers of macrophage differentiation in response to HNP-encapsulated Doc treatment as opposed to free Doc treatment. <b>Conclusions:</b> Based on this analysis, we conclude that Doc treatment in vitro is associated with a proinflammatory response involving cytokines linked to macrophage recruitment and activation, with a lesser proinflammatory response with HNP-encapsulated Doc treatment.