Preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibers containing disulfiram-copper complex by electrospinning: a potential delivery system against melanoma

Background

Melanoma poses a significant threat to human health, making the development of a safe and effective treatment a crucial challenge. Disulfiram (DS) is a proven anticancer drug that has shown effectiveness when used in combination with copper (DS-Cu complex).

Objectives

This study focuses on encapsulation of DS-copper complex into nanofiber scaffold from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (DS-Cu@PVA). In order to increase bioavailability towards melanoma cell lines and decrease its toxicity.

Methods

The scaffold was fabricated through an electrospinning process using an aqueous solution, and subsequently analyzed using ART-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ART-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Additionally, cellular cytotoxicity, flow cytometry analysis, and determination of caspase 3 activity were conducted to further characterize the scaffold.

Results

The results confirmed that encapsulation of DS-Cu complex into PVA was successful via different characterization. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the diameter of the nanofibers remained consistent despite the addition of DS-Cu. Additionally, ATR-FTIR confirmed that the incorporation of DS-Cu into PVA did not significantly alter the characteristic peaks of PVA. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity assessment of the DS-Cu@PVA nanofibrous scaffold using human normal skin cells (HFB4) demonstrated its superior biocompatibility compared to DS-Cu-free counterparts. Notably, the presence of DS-Cu maintained its effectiveness in promoting apoptosis by increasing cellular reactive oxygen species, proapoptotic gene expression, and caspase 3 activity, while simultaneously reducing glutathione levels and oncogene expression in human and mouse melanoma cell lines (A375 and B16F10, respectively). Overall, these findings suggest that the addition of DS-Cu to PVA nanofibers enhances their biocompatibility and cytotoxic effects on melanoma cells, making them a promising candidate for biomedical applications.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that the targeted delivery of DS-Cu onto a PVA nanofiber scaffold holds potential approach to enhance the efficacy of DS-Cu in combating melanoma.

Graphical abstract