Stable Loading and Delivery of Icaritin Using PEG-PCL Micelles for Effective Treatment of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Icaritin can inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). However, low solubility limits its clinical usage.To improve the efficacy of icaritin treatment, a micelle system was designed for targeted delivery of drugs to OSCC cells.In the present study, the micelles loaded with icaritin were self-assembled from the amphipathic polymer via film dispersion. Nanoparticles were characterized with the transmission electron microscope and dynamic light scattering. The cytotoxicity of icaritin nanoparticles was analyzed by CCK-8, and in vitro target-selective intracellular uptake behaviors were observed using a laser confocal microscope.The micelles were spherical with the mean diameter of 121.2 nm. in vitro studies revealed that icaritin was stablely and slowly released from micelles. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that icartin-loaded micelles exhibited better therapeutic efficacy compared with free icaritin. Cellular uptake and intracellular release results revealed that micelles efficiently delivered icaritin into OSCC cells.These results suggest that encapsulated icaritin in polycaprolactone - polyethylene glycol (PCL-PEG) micelles may provide safe and effective drug delivery in OSCC treatments.