Posted by Researchers from Türkiye developed GE11-functionalized curcumin/carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (Cur/CM-βCD) supramolecular assemblies, using GE11 as an EGFR-targeting peptide, to enhance the therapeutic potential of curcumin against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), an aggressive breast cancer subtype with limited treatment options. Instead of forming a simple inclusion complex or a conventional nanoparticle, Cur and CM-βCD spontaneously organize into nanoscale supramolecular assemblies via host-guest interactions and multiple non-covalent intermolecular forces. The optimized formulation achieved 16.95% curcumin loading, while the functionalization with GE11 improved cellular uptake and anticancer activity, particularly in TNBC cells. Compared with free curcumin, the targeted system reduced the IC50 value by up to 2.2-fold and increased cellular internalization by approximately 3.25-fold in TNBC cells, while markedly promoting apoptosis. These findings emphasize the potential of GE11-functionalized Cur/CM-βCD supramolecular assemblies to overcome major limitations of curcumin, including poor aqueous solubility, low stability, and lack of tumour selectivity, and to improve its therapeutic efficacy against TNBC.
This work was conducted as part of Irem Coksu’s PhD research in Bioengineering at Yıldız Technical University, Türkiye, where her research focuses on cyclodextrin-based supramolecular systems for biomedical applications. She is currently a visiting researcher at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, where she is investigating cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks.
Irem COKSU, Pelin PELIT ARAYICI, Fatma Sayan POYRAZ, Banu MANSUROGLU, Serap ACAR,
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Responsive Supramolecular Curcumin/Carboxymethyl β-Cyclodextrin Self-Assemblies Enable Improved Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer,
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 2026, 116119.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2026.116119