Targeted Delivery of Cisplatin-Derived Nanoprecursors via a Biomimetic Yeast Microcapsule for Tumor Therapy by the Oral Route

Targeted therapy via the patient-friendly oral route remains the holy grail of chemotherapy for cancer. Herein we report a yeast-derived platform for targeted oral delivery of cisplatin (CDDP) that is one of the most effective drugs for chemotherapy of various types of cancers. Methods: The optimal conditions were first established to fabricate yeast microcapsules (YCs) with desirable loading capability. Then, CDDP-derived precursor nanoparticles (PreCDDP) were prepared and packaged into YC to produce orally deliverable PreCDDP/YC. The physiochemical properties, in vitro drug release profiles, in vitro antitumor activity, oral targeting capability, in vivo pharmacokinetics, and in vivo efficacy of the YC-based biomimetic delivery system were examined. Results: YCs obtained under the optimized condition showed desirable loading efficiency for quantum dots that were used as a model nanocargo. In vitro experiments demonstrated rapid endocytosis and prolonged retention of YC in macrophages. By electrostatic force-mediated self-deposition, PreCDDP was efficiently loaded into YC. PreCDDP/YC showed potent cytotoxicity in different tumor cells, indicating that PreCDDP loaded in YC maintained its antitumor activity after intracellular release. As compared to CDDP and PreCDDP, orally administered PreCDDP/YC displayed significantly higher bioavailability. Post oral delivery, YC could accumulate in A549 human lung carcinoma xenografts in mice, achieving by monocyte/macrophage-mediated translocation via the lymphatic system. Through this targeting effect, orally administered PreCDDP/YC showed desirable efficacy in A549 xenograft-bearing mice, which was comparable to that of free CDDP administered by intravenous injection. Orally administered free CDDP, however, did not afford antitumor effects. Furthermore, oral treatment with PreCDDP/YC displayed better safety than free CDDP administered via the oral or intravenous route. Conclusions: This biomimetic approach can serve as an effective strategy to develop targeted oral chemotherapies based on CDDP or its derivatives.