RETRACTED ARTICLE: Preparation and characterization of surface-modified PLGA-polymeric nanoparticles used to target treatment of intestinal cancer
Authors: Md Aftab Alam
Niyaz Ahmad
Atta Abbas Naqvi
Rizwan Ahmad
Farhan Jalees Ahmad
Journal: Artificial Cells Nanomedicine and Biotechnology (2018)
Discipline: BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
Keywords: Oral drug delivery; chitosan-coated-PLGA-nanoparticles; in vitro models cancer; oral bioavailability; p-glycoprotein.
Affiliations: a Department of Pharmaceutics , College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (formerly University of Dammam) , Dammam , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., b Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Medical and Allied Sciences , Galgotias University , Greater Noida , India., c Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine , College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (formerly University of Dammam) , Dammam , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., d Department of Pharmacy Practice , College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (formerly University of Dammam) , Dammam , Kingdom of Saudi Arabia., e Nanomedicine Lab, Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard , New Delhi , India.

Abstract:  Docetaxel (DTX), a cytotoxic taxane, is a poor water-soluble drug and exhibits less oral bioavailability. Current research investigates the effective transport, for DTX-loaded chitosan (CS)-coated-poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA)-nanoparticles (NPs) (DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs) and DTX-PLGA-NPs as well as a novel third-generation P-gp inhibitor i.e. GF120918 (Elacridar), across intestinal epithelium with its successive uptake by the tumour cells in an in vitro model. The prepared NPs showed a spherical shape particle size i.e. &lt;123.96 nm with polydispersity index (PDI) of &lt;0.290 whereas for CS-coated NPs, the zeta potential was converted from negative to positive value along with a small modification in particle size distribution. The entrapment efficiency observed for DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs was 74.77%, whereas the in vitro release profile revealed an initial rapid DTX release followed by a sustained release pattern. For apparent permeability, DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs and DTX-PLGA-NPs along with GF120918 showed a five-fold (p &lt; .01) and 2.2-fold enhancement, respectively, as observed in rat ileum permeation study. Similarly, for pharmacokinetic (PK) studies, higher oral bioavailability was observed from DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs (5.11-folds) and DTX-PLGA-NPs (3.29-folds) as compared with DTX-suspension (DTX-S). Cell uptake studies on A549 cells as performed for DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs and DTX-PLGA-NPs loaded with rhodamine 123 dye, exhibited enhanced uptake as compared with plain dye solution. The enhanced uptake for DTX-CS-PLGA-NPs and DTX-PLGA-NPs formulations in the presence of GF120918 was confirmed further with the help of confocal laser scanning microscopic images (CLSM). The potential of the third-generation novel P-gp inhibitor (GF120918) investigated for the effective delivery of DTX as well as investigation of permeability and uptake studies whereby a strong potential of GF120918 for effective oral delivery was established. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 The same panel appears in two different papers, though they appear to have been cropped slightly differently on the right side of the image. Treatment of the cells described in the text and figure legends of the papers are different.![file] , 
 It appears that an actin panel from an earlier publication, showing a different experiment was reused in paper in International Journal of Molecular sciences. Would the authors care to comment? ![file] ![file] , 
 The actin panel in figure 2D looks a good bit like the actin (figure 6E), or is that AMPK? (figure 2A) , panels in the PLOSone paper. The experimental protocols are different. ![file] , 
 Received: 2 September 2021 Accepted: 2 September 2021 Published: 18 September 2021 The journal retracts the article u201cBeneficial Role of HO-1-SIRT1 Axis in Attenuating Angiotensin II-Induced Adipocyte Dysfunctionu201d [1], cited above. Following publication, concerns were brought to the attention of the publisher regarding the figures. The microscopy image for one of the experimental groups in Figure 4A was duplicated, appearing in Figure 1A of another published paper [2]. The authors state this was due to carelessness. Additionally, the actin panel in Figure 2D [1] was similar to Figures 2A and 6E of another published paper [3]. The actin panel in Figure 2B [1] was similar to that in Figure 2 of another published paper [4]. The International Journal of Molecular Sciences Editorial Office has taken the decision to retract the paper. The editor-in-chief approved this retraction. The authors agree with the retraction. ,