Elucidation of Therapeutic Potential of Caffeine Nanoparticles against Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematologic cancer characterized by defective differentiation of stem cells, leading to an overabundance of immature blood cells in the bone marrow and bloodstream. AML is a significant healthcare challenge that necessitates continuous patient management and the development of new therapeutic strategies. Benzene, a substance officially categorized as a group I carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) since 1987, has been associated with the onset of AML and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANL). Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, faces limitations in its clinical application due to its nonspecific action and severe side effects like gonadotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and nephrotoxicity, alongside issues with poor distribution and solubility. Caffeine also have short half-life. To address these issues, liposomal nanoparticles encapsulating caffeine and DOX separately were designed and synthesized to evaluate their therapeutic efficacy against benzene-induced AML in Wistar rats. Compared to free drugs, these nanoparticles aimed to enhance bioavailability and minimize adverse effects by enabling targeted delivery. Before proceeding with in vivo experiments, these nanoparticles were subjected to comprehensive in vitro characterization and assessment. The study's findings suggested that both caffeine and DOX, when delivered through liposomal nanoparticles, exhibited a more favorable profile, with reduced toxicity and improved drug distribution, offering a promising approach to AML treatment. Future research should continue to explore the intricacies of leukemia treatment and the nuanced effects of these drug-loaded nanoparticles. The pathways playing crucial role in AML could also be investigated against these nanoparticles formulation of caffeine.