Fabrication and appraisal of axitinib loaded PEGylated spanlastics against MCF- 7 and OV- 2774 cell lines using molecular docking methods and in-vitro study
Randa Mohammed Zaki, Basmah Nasser Aldosari, Layla A. Alkharashi, Alyaa Alsalhi, Obaid Afzal, Bodoor Ghanem Alanazi, Maha Alsunbul, Rawan Bafail, Fatma I. Abo El-Ela, Hanan O. Farouk
Abstract
Axitinib is a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works by selectively inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR-1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3). Through this mechanism of action, axitinib blocks angiogenesis, tumor growth and metastases and therefor it shows significant promise as a chemotherapeutic agent for various types of cancer.
Introduction
The global prevalence of cancer is experiencing a concerning upward trend, resulting in an annual mortality rate above 8.2 million individuals [1]. Malignant neoplasms pose significant risks to human health, and the available options for managing them are severely limited [2]. The primary factor contributing to the rising mortality rates caused by cancer is the inadequate targeting of tumors and the significant adverse effects linked to the majority of anti-cancer medications.
Materials and method
2.1. Materials
Axitinib, Span 60 (sorbitan monostearate), Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) were acquired from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO). PEG-6-stearate (Superpolystate®) was donated by Gattefossè (Lyon, France). Additional analytical-grade compounds and solvents were procured from El-Nasr Pharmaceutical Company (Cairo, Egypt).
Results and discussion
3.1. Experimental design and optimization
The experimental runs with different amounts of Span 60, edge activator amount, and edge activator type are displayed in Table 2, displaying the outcomes of VS, ZP, PDI, and EE. Table 2 displays the PDI values of axitinib -spanlastics, which varied from 0.231 ± 0.052 to 0.587 ± 0.021. Low PDI values indicate a limited range of sizes and a uniform VS pattern, whereas high PDI values indicate a greater degree of heterogeneity [39].
Acknowledgments
The authors extend their appreciation to Doaa S. Hamad for her technical support.
Citation: Zaki RM, Aldosari BN, Alkharashi LA, Alsalhi A, Afzal O, Alanazi BG, et al. (2025) Fabrication and appraisal of axitinib loaded PEGylated spanlastics against MCF- 7 and OV- 2774 cell lines using molecular docking methods and in-vitro study. PLoS One 20(7): e0325055. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0325055
Editor: Yusuf Ahmed Haggag, University of Michigan, EGYPT
Received: December 2, 2024; Accepted: May 6, 2025; Published: July 1, 2025
Copyright: © 2025 Zaki et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.
Funding: This study is supported via funding from Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University Project number (PSAU/2025/R/1446). Also, the authors extend their appreciation to Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2025R736), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
