The Antiproliferative Effect of Docetaxel-Microemulsion Formulation against HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells

Mayson H. Alkhatib* and Wafaa A. Al-Qaidi

Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Abdulaziz University P.O. Box 42801, Jeddah 21551, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT:

Docetaxel is a chemotherapeutic agent that is used against various cancers. However, it has several side effects due the solvent used in its formulation. In this study,the antitumor activity of docetaxel-loaded-microemulsion against HepG2 liver cancer cells was assessed by studying the cell toxicity and mechanism of cell death. The microemulsion formula consisted of weight percentages of 37 of cremophor/transcutol mixture (2:1, w/w), 29 of capryol 90 and 34 of water. Three microemulsion formulas were evaluated, freshly prepared docetaxel-loaded-microemulsion (F-ME), stored formula of F-ME for two weeks (O-ME) and blank microemulsion formula (B-ME). The antiproliferative screening using sulphorhodamine B (SRB) assay revealed that the average cytotoxicities of all of the microemulsion formulations (F-ME, O-ME and B-ME) at all micromolar concentrations (1, 5 and 10) against HepG2 cells were more than Taxotere by 3 folds. The three formulas have induced apoptosis through altering the cell membrane in HepG2 cells as revealed by the images of ApopNexin FITC detection kit, light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Our findings demonstrated that blank microemulsion as well as the docetaxel-loaded microemulsions was having greater cytotoxicity than Taxotere against HepG2 cells.

KEYWORDS:

Antitumor activity; ApopNexin FITC detection kit; Sulphorhodamin B assay; Cytotoxicity

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