Enhanced anti-cancer effect of AMTB hydrochloride via chitosan nanoparticles in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a malignancy with poor prognosis and high mortality. This study investigated the use of chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) to encapsulate AMTB, a TRPM8 inhibitor, as a novel strategy to enhance therapeutic efficacy in pancreatic cancer. TRPM8 was overexpressed in pancreatic cancer tissues and associated with poor patient prognosis. AMTB inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by suppressing the EMT process and MMP2/9 expression. CS-NPs@AMTB were successfully synthesized, exhibiting excellent drug release profiles and stronger anti-tumor effects than free AMTB. Both AMTB and CS-NPs@AMTB demonstrated favorable biological safety. This is the first study to apply chitosan nanoparticles for AMTB delivery in pancreatic cancer, significantly enhancing its anti-tumor and anti-metastatic effects (ahout 70% reduction in tumor size). These findings suggest that CS-NPs@AMTB might overcome current therapeutic limitations by improving drug efficacy and targeting metastasis in pancreatic cancer. With further validation through preclinical and clinical studies, this nanoparticle-based delivery strategy holds promise for integration into future therapeutic regimens and personalized treatment approaches.