Differential cell responses to nanoparticle docetaxel and small molecule docetaxel at a sub-therapeutic dose range

Current preclinical evaluations of nanoparticle taxanes have focused on the effect of nanoparticle size and shape on the efficacy and toxicity. It is generally assumed that nanoparticle therapeutics have the same cellular response on tumor and normal cells as their small molecule counterparts. Here, we show that nanoparticle taxanes can mediate cellular effects distinct from that of small molecule taxanes at the sub-therapeutic dose range. Cells that are exposed to two polymeric nanoparticle formulations of docetaxel were found to undergo a different cell cycle and cell fate than that of cells that were exposed to small molecule docetaxel. Our results suggest that nanoparticle formulation of therapeutics can affect the therapeutic effect of its cargo