Niosomal Encapsulation Boosts Kaempferol’s Cytotoxic Effect on Ovarian Cancer Cells in Vitro

Encapsulating the flavonoid kaempferol inside niosomal nanovesicles significantly increased its cytotoxic activity against SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells compared with the free, unencapsulated compound, according to a laboratory study published in Molecular Biology Reports. The niosomal formulation produced lower IC₅₀ values at all evaluated time points and was associated with altered expression of genes linked to apoptosis, cell-cycle progression, and cell migration.

Kaempferol is a naturally occurring flavonoid with documented antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activities, but its therapeutic application is limited by poor aqueous solubility, low bioavailability, and limited cellular availability. To address this, the researchers prepared kaempferol-loaded niosomes using the thin-film hydration method and characterized the formulation with Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS).

In the biological experiments, SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells were treated with either free kaempferol or the kaempferol-loaded niosomes at concentrations ranging from 0.00625 to 0.8 milligrams per milliliter for 24, 48, and 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed with the MTT assay. Across all evaluated time points, the niosomal formulation showed significantly greater cytotoxic activity than free kaempferol, reflected in lower IC₅₀ values.

The team then used quantitative real-time PCR to measure the relative expression of four genes: BAX, TP53, BCL2, and MMP2. Compared with free kaempferol, the niosomal formulation produced greater modulation of apoptosis-related gene expression, with increased expression of BAX and TP53 and reduced expression of the anti-apoptotic gene BCL2. Treatment with the niosomal formulation was also associated with reduced expression of MMP2, a migration-associated gene, at the mRNA level.

Flow cytometry provided an independent line of evidence. Cells treated with the niosomal formulation showed an increased proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and a higher proportion of apoptotic cells compared with cells treated with free kaempferol. These observations align with the transcriptional changes measured by PCR, although the study measured gene expression at the mRNA level only.

The authors are explicit about the limits of the work. Drug-release kinetics, formulation stability, intracellular uptake, protein-level validation, and in vivo therapeutic efficacy were not evaluated. Because of these gaps, the mechanisms underlying the enhanced biological activity cannot be conclusively established, and the findings remain confined to an in vitro cell-culture setting.

What the study does support is a proof of concept: niosomal encapsulation enhances the in vitro anticancer activity of kaempferol against SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells and is associated with transcriptional modulation of apoptosis-related genes, cell-cycle distribution, and migration-associated cellular responses. The authors conclude that further mechanistic and in vivo studies are warranted to validate these findings and to determine the translational potential of this niosomal delivery system for ovarian cancer therapy.

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies worldwide, a fact the authors cite as underscoring the need for more effective therapeutic strategies. Whether nanovesicle-delivered kaempferol can move from laboratory promise toward clinical relevance will depend on the in vivo and mechanistic work that this study, by its own account, did not yet perform.

Subject of Research: Kaempferol-loaded niosomes and their effects on apoptosis and migration in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells

Article Title: Preparation and characterization of Kaempferol-loaded Niosomes and their effects on apoptosis and cell migration in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells

Article References: Farahmandpour, S., Kavousi, M., & Jamshidian, F. (2026). Preparation and characterization of Kaempferol-loaded Niosomes and their effects on apoptosis and cell migration in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. Molecular Biology Reports, 53(1), Article 1807. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-026-12981-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s11033-026-12981-7

Keywords: kaempferol, niosomes, ovarian cancer, SKOV3 cells, apoptosis, drug delivery, flavonoids, cell cycle, MMP2, nanomedicine, in vitro study, Preparation