In vitro study of anticancer activity of polymer-based DOX-ZnO compositions: the case of vinyl alcohol (co)polymers

To reduce toxicity and side effects of antitumor preparations as well as to promote their target delivery and action prolongation, nanosize carriers are used. Recently we have shown in vivo that zinc oxide compositions of chelates of salicylidene amino acids in the form of coatings and as a part of composite films with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) revealed much higher (by a factor of 2.3-2.5) antitumor activity in comparison with the initial chelates of salicylidene amino acids and their composite films with PVA. The paper presents in vitro study of physicochemical properties and antitumor activity of doxorubicin (DOX) zinc oxide composites with various types of PVA for human cell system (normal MRC5 cells and HeLa cancer cells). A possibility of vectored (directed) regulation of DOX by variation of the polymer composition in doxorubicin zinc oxide compositions is demonstrated.  It is determined that both PVA and ZnO do not reveal toxic properties in cell cultures. At the same time, DOX toxicity in zinc oxide compositions is reduced for both normal and cancer cells depending on PVA type in comparison with the initial PVA+DOX combined films. Almost all investigated composites have a beneficial selective toxic effect on cancer cells at minimum impact on normal tissues, and zinc oxide compositions in the form of modified PVA (МPVA+ DOX + ZnO) reveal higher efficiency of selective harmful (destructive) action than DOX.