Antileukemic effect of zerumbone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier in WEHI-3B cell-induced murine leukemia model
Authors: Hasina Begum
Heshu Sulaiman Rahman
Ahmad Bustamam Abdul
Swee Keong Yeap
Chee Wun How
Zahra Ajdari
Parvaneh Mehrbod
Sharida Fakurazi
Farideh Namvar
Abdullah Rasedee
Sheau Wei Tan
Nazariah Allaudin Zeenathul
Palanisamy Arulselvan
Max Stanley Chartrand
Hemn Hassan Othman
Nasibeh Daneshvar
Journal: International Journal of Nanomedicine (2015)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: BALB/c mice; WEHI-3B cells; apoptosis; leukemia; mitochondrial pathway
Affiliations: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia ; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimany, Sulaimany City, Northern Iraq., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia ; Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia., Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia., DigiCare Behavioral Research, Casa Grande, AZ, USA., Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia ; Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia ; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimany, Sulaimany City, Northern Iraq., Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia., Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract:  Cancer nanotherapy is progressing rapidly with the introduction of many innovative drug delivery systems to replace conventional therapy. Although the antitumor activity of zerumbone (ZER) has been reported, there has been no information available on the effect of ZER-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) (ZER-NLC) on murine leukemia cells. In this study, the in vitro and in vivo effects of ZER-NLC on murine leukemia induced with WEHI-3B cells were investigated. The results from 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, Hoechst 33342, Annexin V, cell cycle, and caspase activity assays showed that the growth of leukemia cells in vitro was inhibited by ZER-NLC. In addition, outcomes of histopathology, transmission electron microscopy, and Tdt-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling analyses revealed that the number of leukemia cells in the spleen of BALB/c leukemia mice significantly decreased after 4 weeks of oral treatment with various doses of ZER-NLC. Western blotting and reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays confirmed the antileukemia effects of ZER-NLC. In conclusion, ZER-NLC was shown to induce a mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathway in murine leukemia. Loading of ZER in NLC did not compromise the anticancer effect of the compound, suggesting ZER-NLC as a promising and effective delivery system for treatment of cancers. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 Images in Figure 8 seem to show some repeated regions, Figure 8A is shown as an example. On a paper with at least one common author, discussed here: https: pubpeer.com publications B049396F4DDB1185143611898EBB69, a reply from one author seems to acknowledge that images were edited. Can the authors please comment? ***  , 
 #1 The anomalous regions are equally alarming in other panels of Fig 8A.  , 
 Retracted [7 June 2022] . ------------------ The Editor and Publisher of International Journal of Nanomedicine wish to retract the published article. Concerns were raised regarding the alleged manipulation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images in Figure 8. The authors responded to our queries and were able to provide the original TEM images. The authors explained that the images had intentionally been modified to clear away artefacts created during sample processing. While the journal accepted the original TEM images were available, they were considerably different to those in the published article, and this raised doubts over the validity of the reported results. The decision was made to retract the article and the authors do not agree with this ruling. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as u201cRetractedu201d. ,