Multifunctional CaCO3@Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles for effectively inhibiting growth of colorectal cancer cells

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer-related deaths in humans, and effective treatments are still needed in clinical practice. Despite significant developments in anticancer drugs and inhibitors, their poor stability, water solubility, and cellular membrane permeability limit their therapeutic efficacy. To address these issues, multifunctional CaCO 3 nanoparticles loaded with Curcumin (Cur) and protein deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor QTX125, and coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) (CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA), were prepared through a one-step gas diffusion strategy. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles have uniform spherical morphology and elemental distribution, with diameters around 450 nm and a Zeta potential of − 8.11 mV. The controlled release of Cur from the nanoparticles was observed over time periods of 48 h. Cellular uptake showed that CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles were efficiently taken up by cancer cells and significantly inhibited their growth. Importantly, CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles showed specific inhibitory effects on CRC cell growth. Encouragingly, CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles successfully internalized into CRC patient-derived organoid (PDO) models and induced apoptosis of tumor cells. The multifunctional CaCO 3 @Cur@QTX125@HA nanoparticles hold promise for the treatment of CRC.