title: Inclusion of a pH-responsive amino acid-based amphiphile in methotrexate-loaded chitosan nanoparticles as a delivery strategy in cancer therapy.
abstract: The encapsulation of antitumor drugs in nanosized systems with pH-sensitive behavior is a promising approach that may enhance the success of chemotherapy in many cancers. The nanocarrier dependence on pH might trigger an efficient delivery of the encapsulated drug both in the acidic extracellular environment of tumors and, especially, in the intracellular compartments through disruption of endosomal membrane. In this context, here we reported the preparation of chitosan-based nanoparticles encapsulating methotrexate as a model drug (MTX-CS-NPs), which comprises the incorporation of an amino acid-based amphiphile with pH-responsive properties (77KS) on the ionotropic complexation process. The presence of 77KS clearly gives a pH-sensitive behavior to NPs, which allowed accelerated release of MTX with decreasing pH as well as pH-dependent membrane-lytic activity. This latter performance demonstrates the potential of these NPs to facilitate cytosolic delivery of endocytosed materials. Outstandingly, the cytotoxicity of MTX-loaded CS-NPs was higher than free drug to MCF-7 tumor cells and, to a lesser extent, to HeLa cells. Based on the overall results, MTX-CS-NPs modified with the pH-sensitive surfactant 77KS could be potentially useful as a carrier system for intracellular drug delivery and, thus, a promising targeting anticancer chemotherapeutic agent.
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil. daniele.rubert@gmail.com.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil. daniele.rubert@gmail.com.
authors: Daniele Rubert
authors: DR
authors: Nogueira
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
authors: Laís E
authors: LE
authors: Scheeren
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
authors: Letícia B
authors: LB
authors: Macedo
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
authors: Ana Isa P
authors: AI
authors: Marcolino
authors: Departament de Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pilar Vinardell
authors: Departament de Fisiologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII s/n, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Montserrat
authors: M
authors: Mitjans
authors: Departamento de Tecnología Química y de Tensioactivos, IQAC, CSIC, C/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Rosa Infante
authors: Laboratory for Translational Oncology and Personalized Medicine, Rashid Latif Medical College, 35 km Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
authors: Ammad A
authors: AA
authors: Farooqi
authors: Departamento de Farmácia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.
authors: Clarice M B
authors: CM
authors: Rolim
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D048271:Chitosan; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Chitosan nanoparticles; In vitro antitumor activity; Lysine-based surfactant methotrexate; pH-sensitivity