Using chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles as a drug carrier for opioid delivery against breast cancer

Shima Aliebrahimi ¹, Amir Farnoudian-Habibi ², Fatemeh Heidari ³

¹Department of Artificial Intelligence, Smart University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
²Department of Pharmaceutical Biomaterials, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
⁴Department of Advanced Technologies, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
⁵Natural Products and Medicinal Plants Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran.
⁶Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
⁷Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁸Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁹Toxicology and Poisoning Research Centre, Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

⁰Department of Artificial Intelligence, Smart University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Pharmaceutical Development and Technology +

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June 27, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles loaded with papaverine effectively reduced breast cancer cell growth while sparing healthy cells. This drug delivery system shows promise for treating metastatic breast cancer.

Area Of Science

Biomedical Engineering
Nanotechnology
Pharmacology

Background

Opium derivatives show potential as anticancer agents.
Drug delivery challenges limit the efficacy of traditional chemotherapy.
Superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs) offer a promising platform for targeted drug delivery.

Purpose Of The Study

To develop chitosan-decorated SPIONs for targeted delivery of papaverine and noscapine.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of these nanocarriers in a 4T1 murine breast cancer model.
To investigate the mechanism of action, including ROS production and apoptosis induction.

Main Methods

Chitosan-SPIONs were synthesized and characterized using DLS, TEM, FTIR, XRD, and VSM.
Papaverine and noscapine were loaded onto the nanocarriers.
Cytotoxicity was assessed against 4T1 breast cancer cells and L-929 fibroblast cells.
ROS production and apoptosis were analyzed using colony-formation assays and cell death assays.

Main Results

Papaverine-loaded SPIONs significantly inhibited 4T1 cell proliferation (11.50 µg/mL) compared to free papaverine (62.35 µg/mL).
The nanocarriers showed minimal toxicity to L-929 fibroblast cells (138.14 µg/mL).
SPIONs and chitosan-SPIONs alone exhibited no cytotoxic activity.
Formulations induced ROS production and promoted late apoptotic cell death.

Conclusions

Chitosan-decorated SPIONs are effective drug carriers for papaverine in metastatic breast cancer.
This nanodelivery system enhances therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target toxicity.
The developed nanostructures represent a promising strategy for advanced cancer therapy.

Keywords:

Chitosan-coated SPIONs apoptosis cytotoxicity noscapine papaverine