Curcumin-Loaded Polysaccharide Nanoparticles Enhance Aqueous Dispersibility and In Vitro Cytotoxicity in Breast...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanomedicine
• Cancer Biology

Background:

• Curcumin (CUR) exhibits anticancer properties but suffers from poor solubility and stability, limiting its clinical application.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for enhancing curcumin's therapeutic potential.
• Nanoparticle formulations offer a promising strategy to overcome curcumin's limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize curcumin-loaded nanoparticles (CUR-NPs) using chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and alginate.
• To evaluate the in vitro anticancer activity and cellular uptake of CUR-NPs in different cancer cell lines.
• To investigate the mechanisms of CUR-NP-induced cell death and the role of subcellular localization.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of CUR-NPs using natural polymers (chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate).
• Characterization of nanoparticle size and dispersibility using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).
• Assessment of cytotoxicity (IC50 values), cellular uptake (fluorescence imaging, flow cytometry), and apoptosis/necrosis induction in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells.

Main Results:

• CUR-NPs exhibited small sizes (TEM: 29.3 ± 9.0 nm; DLS: 46.1 ± 18.1 nm) and good aqueous dispersibility.
• Significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity was observed, with higher sensitivity in MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 17.5 ± 1.9 μg/mL) compared to MDA-MB-231 cells (IC50 = 39.9 ± 5.4 μg/mL) after 72h.
• MCF-7 cells showed faster and higher NP uptake, leading to earlier apoptosis, while MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited delayed apoptosis and partial necrosis, influenced by perinuclear aggregation.

Conclusions:

• Chitosan-hyaluronic acid-alginate nanoparticles effectively deliver curcumin, enhancing its anticancer efficacy.
• The therapeutic response to CUR-NPs is cell line-dependent, with MCF-7 cells being more susceptible.
• Tailoring nanoparticle design for specific cellular uptake and localization dynamics can optimize cancer therapy.