Drug-loaded polymer-coated silver nanoparticles for lung cancer theranostics

Area of Science:

• Nanomedicine
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Lung cancer remains a leading global cause of cancer-related mortality.
• Traditional chemotherapy faces limitations, necessitating innovative treatment strategies.
• Nanotheranostics offer a promising dual approach for simultaneous diagnosis and therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel nanotheranostic system for lung cancer.
• To evaluate the imaging and therapeutic potential of paclitaxel-loaded, PLGA-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs).
• To investigate the sustained drug release and anticancer efficacy of the developed nanoformulation.

Main Methods:

• Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized via chemical reduction.
• AgNPs were coated with poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and loaded with paclitaxel (Pac).
• Characterization included UV-Visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis, zetasizer, atomic force microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Main Results:

• The nanoformulations exhibited nanometer-scale dimensions and smooth surface morphology.
• Drug-loaded nanoparticles demonstrated sustained paclitaxel release over an extended period.
• The nanoformulations displayed significant imaging capabilities and superior anticancer efficacy in lung cancer cell lines.

Conclusions:

• The developed PLGA-coated AgNPs loaded with paclitaxel represent an effective nanotheranostic approach for lung cancer.
• This simple and efficient strategy holds potential for improved lung cancer imaging and treatment.
• Further research may validate this nanomedicine in clinical settings for enhanced patient outcomes.