The estrogen metabolite 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME) is a promissory anticancer drug mainly because of its pro-apoptotic properties in cancer cells. However, the therapeutic use of 2ME has been hampered due to its low solubility and bioavailability. Thus, it is necessary to find new ways of administration for 2ME. Zeolites are inorganic aluminosilicates with a porous structure and are considered good adsorbents and sieves in the pharmaceutical field. Here, mordenite-type zeolite nanoparticles were loaded with 2ME to assess its efficiency as a delivery system for prostate cancer treatment. The 2ME-loaded zeolite nanoparticles showed an irregular morphology with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 250.9 ± 11.4 nm, polydispersity index of 0.36 ± 0.04, and a net negative surface charge of −34 ± 1.73 meV. Spectroscopy with UV-vis and Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Fourier-Transform was used to elucidate the interaction between the 2ME molecules and the zeolite framework showing the formation of a 2ME-zeolite conjugate in the nanocomposite. The studies of adsorption and liberation determined that zeolite nanoparticles incorporated 40% of 2ME while the liberation of 2ME reached 90% at pH 7.4 after 7 days. The 2ME-loaded zeolite nanoparticles also decreased the viability and increased the mRNA of the 2ME-target gene F-spondin, encoded by SPON1, in the human prostate cancer cell line LNCaP. Finally, the 2ME-loaded nanoparticles also decreased the viability of primary cultures from mouse prostate cancer. These results show the development of 2ME-loaded zeolite nanoparticles with physicochemical and biological properties compatible with anticancer activity on the human prostate and highlight that zeolite nanoparticles can be a good carrier system for 2ME.

Multifunctional polymer scaffolds with mechanical support, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial activity are key for next-generation biomedical materials. We report the fabrication of electrospun nanocomposite fibers made from polycaprolactone (PCL), starch, and mesoporous aluminum oxide nanoparticles (n-Al₂O₃). Nanoparticles (11 ± 4 nm) were synthesized via a sol-gel method, predominantly comprising γ- and α-Al₂O₃ phases. Four fiber systems were fabricated by side-by-side electrospinning: PCL, PCL/starch, PCL/n-Al₂O₃, and PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃. SEM analysis confirmed uniform and bead-free fibers in all formulations. Tensile tests showed that the incorporation of starch and nanoparticles improved the mechanical performance compared with neat PCL. In particular, PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃ fibers exhibited increases of 404% in Young’s modulus and 102% in elongation at break. In PBS, starch and n-Al₂O₃ enhanced hydrophilicity and accelerated weight loss, with PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃ showing the highest mass loss. Antibacterial tests indicated that only fibers with nanoparticles could inhibit Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃ showing a major effect. Although n-Al₂O₃ increased cytotoxicity toward NIH-3T3, starch mitigated this effect, and the ternary scaffold showed no detectable cytotoxicity. Moreover, PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃ exhibited non-hemolytic behavior, enhanced fibroblast migration, and wound-healing-related protein expression. Overall, side-by-side electrospun PCL/starch/n-Al₂O₃ scaffold exhibited showed improved mechanical, biological, and antibacterial properties, supporting its potential as a wound-dressing material.