Hosseini, Rouminasadat <br/><br/>
THE EFFECT OF COMBINATORIAL THERAPEUTICS ON BREAST CANCER CELLS USING NANOPARTICLE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM / 
ROUMINASADAT HOSSEINI; SUPERVISOR: DR. DERAN ERDENGIZ 
 - 55 sheets;  31 cm.  Includes CD 
<br/><br/>Thesis (MSc) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Bioengineering Department 
<br/><br/>Includes bibliography (sheets 47-55) 
<br/><br/> ABSTRACT<br/>Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer with an estimated incidence <br/>rate of 2.26 million in 2020 and ranked number one as leading cause of cancer <br/>mortality in women. So far it has been treated and controlled by conventional therapies <br/>such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Since 2010, nanoparticle drug <br/>delivery systems have demonstrated great potential in the treatment of cancers. When <br/>compared to conventional therapeutics, the advantages of nanoparticles include lower <br/>side effects, higher biocompatibility, and greater stability, enhanced targeting, and <br/>lower toxicity. So far various types of nanoparticles, such as albumin, iron oxide, gold <br/>and silver nanoparticles have shown great potential in cancer treatment and drug <br/>delivery; furthermore, recent studies have shown that ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have <br/>cytotoxic effect on cancer cells and can induce apoptosis by generating cellular <br/>oxidative stress. <br/>In addition, researchers are using drug-repurposing methods to further the <br/>development of cancer therapeutics. Experimental data have shown that metformin, <br/>which is originally a type-2 diabetes treatment drug, also has anticancer potentials and <br/>can reduce the proliferation of cancer cells. We hypothesized that combinatorial <br/>exposure of ZnO and metformin-encapsulated carboxymethyl chitosan (MeCMC) NPs <br/>will generate enhanced cytotoxicity and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation in <br/>breast cancer cells, compared to single exposure of either one over time. To answer <br/>our hypothesis, we used MDA-MB-231, triple negative breast cancer cell lines, to <br/>assess the differences between combinatorial exposure of ZnO and MeCMC NPs and <br/>their effect alone. The results obtained from the experiment did not show a significant <br/>difference in the cell viability between single and double exposure when comparing <br/>the same concentration of both CMC NP and metformin, however, it showed a <br/>significant decrease of cell viability by comparing the same dose of the drug in <br/>different concentrations of CMC NP between single and double exposure. In addition, <br/>our results indicate that even though combinatorial exposure did not show a significant <br/>change in viability, it may have a significant effect on cell proliferation. <br/>Keywords: Breast cancer, Carboxymethyl Chitosan, Combinatorial Therapeutics, <br/>Drug Delivery, Drug Repurposing, Metformin, Nanoparticle, Zinc Oxide  
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Breast--Cancer--Dissertations, Academic<br/>Drug delivery systems--Dissertations, Academic<br/>Metformin--Dissertations, Academic<br/>Nanoparticles--Dissertations, Academic