title: Polylactide-based Magnetic Spheres as Efficient Carriers for Anticancer Drug Delivery.
abstract: To improve traditional cancer therapies, we synthesized polylactide (PLA) spheres coencapsulating magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs, Fe3O4) and an anticancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX). The synthesis process involves the preparation of Fe3O4 NPs by a coprecipitation method and then PLA/DOX/Fe3O4 spheres using the solvent evaporation (oil-in-water) technique. The Fe3O4 NPs were coated with oleic acid to improve their hydrophobicity and biocompatibility for medical applications. The structure, morphology and properties of the MNPs and PLA/DOX/Fe3O4 spheres were studied using various techniques, such as FTIR, SEM, TEM, TGA, VSM, UV-vis spectroscopy, and zeta potential measurements. The in vitro DOX release from the spheres was prolonged, sustained, and pH-dependent and fit a zero-order kinetics model and an anomalous mechanism. Interestingly, the spheres did not show a DOX burst effect, ensuring the minimal exposure of the healthy cells and an increased drug payload at the tumor site. The pronounced biocompatibility of the PLA/DOX/Fe3O4 spheres with HeLa cells was proven by a WST assay. In summary, the synthesized PLA/DOX/Fe3O4 spheres have the potential for magnetic targeting of tumor cells to transform conventional methods.
authors.affiliation: DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , Pretoria 0001, South Africa.|Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein , Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Nikiwe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mhlanga
authors.affiliation: DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , Pretoria 0001, South Africa.|Department of Applied Chemistry, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein , Johannesburg 2028, South Africa.
authors.forename: Suprakas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sinha Ray
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Manufacturing, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
authors.forename: Yolandy
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lemmer
authors.affiliation: DST/CSIR National Centre for Nanostructured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wesley-Smith
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D011091:Polyesters; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C033616:poly(lactide); D004317:Doxorubicin; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide
keywords: Fe3O4 nanoparticles; anticancer drug; in vitro study; magnetic spheres; magnetic targeting delivery; polylactide