Objective       To determine the antitumor effects of the novel docetaxel (TXT)-loaded biotinylated poly (lactic acid) nanoparticles (TXT-BPLA NPs) on human ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3.       Methods       SKOV3 cells were cultured with TXT-BPLA NPs at different concentrations (1

10

100

1 000 and 10 000 nmol/L) and durations (12

24

48

72

96 and 120 h) respectively. Then proliferation and apoptosis of SKOV3 cells were determined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry

respectively. The apoptosis-related prot

ein caspase-3 was measured by Western blotting.       Results       Both TXT and TXT-BPLA NPs resulted in inhibited proliferation in SKOV3 cells in a dose-dependent manner when the concentration was given at 10 to 10 000 nmol/L within same duration. Under the same dose

TXT-treated SKOV3 cells for 24 and 48 h had obviously higher proliferative rate

apoptotic rate and caspase-3 expression than the cells treated by TXT-BPLA NPs (

P

0.05)

  while these phenomena was reversed when the treatment time was prolonged to 72 h (

P

0.05).       Conclusion       Comparing with TXT

TXT-BPLA NPs could more persistently inhibit the proliferation of SKOV3 cells and promote caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. Thus

TXT-BPLA NPs

as a new nanometer drug

has a special application value for the therapy of ovarian cancer.