Targeted nanotherapeutic strategy for melanoma using silk-fibroin based artemisinin nanoparticles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Oncology

Background:

• Malignant melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer requiring novel therapeutic strategies.
• Protein-based nanoparticles offer potential for targeted drug delivery and reduced toxicity.
• Silk fibroin is a biocompatible biopolymer suitable for drug delivery applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and evaluate silk fibroin-stabilized artemisinin nanoparticles (SF-ARTNPs) for anti-melanoma efficacy.
• To assess the physicochemical properties and drug-release profile of SF-ARTNPs.
• To investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity and anti-migratory effects of SF-ARTNPs on melanoma cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of spherical silk fibroin-stabilized artemisinin nanoparticles.
• Characterization of nanoparticle stability, dispersibility, drug-loading efficiency, and drug-release kinetics.
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays using A375 melanoma cells.
• Scratch assays to evaluate the effect on cell migration.

Main Results:

• SF-ARTNPs exhibited enhanced stability, improved aqueous dispersibility, and high drug-loading efficiency (86.27%).
• A sustained drug-release profile was observed (84.60% over the study period).
• SF-ARTNPs significantly reduced melanoma cell viability (to 23.31%) and suppressed cell migration.

Conclusions:

• Silk fibroin-stabilized artemisinin nanoparticles demonstrate potent anti-melanoma activity in vitro.
• SF-ARTNPs show potential as an effective nanotherapeutic platform for malignant melanoma treatment.
• The developed nanoparticles offer a promising approach for targeted cancer therapy with improved drug delivery characteristics.