The great variability of
cancer types demands novel drugs with broad spectrum, this is the case of
Nisin, a polycyclic antibacterial
peptide that recently has been considered for prevention of
cancer cells growth. As an accepted
food additive, this drug would be very useful for
intestinal cancers, but the
peptide nature would make easier its degradation by digestion procedures. For that reason, the aim of present study to investigate the protective effect of two different β-
cyclodextrin-based nanosponges (carbonyl diimidazole and
pyromellitic dianhydride) and their anti-
cancer enhancement effect of
Nisin-Z encapsulated with against
colon cancer cells (HT-29). To extend its possible use, a comparison with breast (MCF-7)
cancer cell was carried out. The physicochemical properties, loading efficiency, and release kinetics of
Nisin complex with nanosponges were studied. Then,
tricin-SDS-PAGE electrophoresis was used to understand the effect of NSs on stability of
Nisin-Z in the presence of gastric
peptidase pepsin. In addition, the cytotoxicity and cell membrane damage of
Nisin Z were evaluated by using the MTT and LDH assay, which was complemented via
Annexin-V/
Propidium Iodide (PI) by using flowcytometry. CD-NS are able to complex
Nisin-Z with an encapsulation efficiency around 90%. A protective effect of
Nisin-Z complexed with CD-NSs was observed in presence of
pepsin. An increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was observed when the
cancer cells were exposed to
Nisin Z complexed with nanosponges. Interestingly,
Nisin Z free and loaded on PMDA/CDI-NSs is more selectively toxic towards HT-29 cells than MCF-7
cancer cells. These results indicated that nanosponges might be good candidates to protect
peptides and deliver drugs against
intestinal cancers.