Polyurethane-based targeted active nanocarriers for colon cancer treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Cancer Therapy

Background:

• Colon cancer remains a significant global health challenge.
• Current therapies have limitations in efficacy and side effects.
• Targeted drug delivery systems offer a promising approach to improve treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel nanoparticle-based formulation for targeted colon cancer therapy.
• To load curcumin (CUR), a natural polyphenol, into biocompatible nanoparticles.
• To conjugate folate (FO) onto nanoparticles for targeted delivery to HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a thermoplastic polyurethane-oleic acid-polyethylene glycol (TPU-OLE-PEG) copolymer.
• Encapsulation of curcumin (CUR) into nanoparticles.
• Folate (FO) conjugation for targeted delivery.
• Characterization of nanoparticle size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index.
• In vitro drug release studies and cell viability assays (flow cytometry).

Main Results:

• Optimized nanoparticles were spherical, homogeneous, and monodisperse (249 ± 5.7 nm).
• High drug loading efficiency (>95%) and folate conjugation efficiency (98.3%) were achieved.
• Sustained drug release over 19 days was observed.
• Folate-conjugated nanoparticles significantly reduced HT-29 cell viability (to 52.74%) compared to unloaded nanoparticles (66.35%).

Conclusions:

• The FO-CUR-TPU-OLE-PEG nanoparticle system demonstrates significant potential as a targeted therapeutic platform for colon cancer.
• This formulation offers a promising alternative to existing colon cancer treatments.
• Further research may lead to improved clinical outcomes for colon cancer patients.