TY  - BOOK
AU  - Hosseini,Rouminasadat
AU  - Erdengiz,Deran
TI  - THE EFFECT OF COMBINATORIAL THERAPEUTICS ON BREAST CANCER CELLS USING NANOPARTICLE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM
PY  - 2022///
KW  - Breast
KW  - Dissertations, Academic
KW  - Cancer
KW  - Drug delivery systems
KW  - Metformin
KW  - Nanoparticles
N1  - Thesis (MSc) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research Bioengineering Department; Includes bibliography (sheets 47-55)
N2  - ABSTRACT
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer with an estimated incidence 
rate of 2.26 million in 2020 and ranked number one as leading cause of cancer 
mortality in women. So far it has been treated and controlled by conventional therapies 
such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. Since 2010, nanoparticle drug 
delivery systems have demonstrated great potential in the treatment of cancers. When 
compared to conventional therapeutics, the advantages of nanoparticles include lower 
side effects, higher biocompatibility, and greater stability, enhanced targeting, and 
lower toxicity. So far various types of nanoparticles, such as albumin, iron oxide, gold 
and silver nanoparticles have shown great potential in cancer treatment and drug 
delivery; furthermore, recent studies have shown that ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have 
cytotoxic effect on cancer cells and can induce apoptosis by generating cellular 
oxidative stress. 
In addition, researchers are using drug-repurposing methods to further the 
development of cancer therapeutics. Experimental data have shown that metformin, 
which is originally a type-2 diabetes treatment drug, also has anticancer potentials and 
can reduce the proliferation of cancer cells. We hypothesized that combinatorial 
exposure of ZnO and metformin-encapsulated carboxymethyl chitosan (MeCMC) NPs 
will generate enhanced cytotoxicity and apoptosis, as well as reduced proliferation in 
breast cancer cells, compared to single exposure of either one over time. To answer 
our hypothesis, we used MDA-MB-231, triple negative breast cancer cell lines, to 
assess the differences between combinatorial exposure of ZnO and MeCMC NPs and 
their effect alone. The results obtained from the experiment did not show a significant 
difference in the cell viability between single and double exposure when comparing 
the same concentration of both CMC NP and metformin, however, it showed a 
significant decrease of cell viability by comparing the same dose of the drug in 
different concentrations of CMC NP between single and double exposure. In addition, 
our results indicate that even though combinatorial exposure did not show a significant 
change in viability, it may have a significant effect on cell proliferation. 
Keywords: Breast cancer, Carboxymethyl Chitosan, Combinatorial Therapeutics, 
Drug Delivery, Drug Repurposing, Metformin, Nanoparticle, Zinc Oxide
ER  -