title: Active targeted nanoparticles: Preparation, physicochemical characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity effect.
abstract: In this study, the folate decorated biodegradable poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles were developed for tumor targeting of anticancer agents. Due to the overexpression of the folate receptor on tumor surface, the folate has been efficiently employed as a targeting moiety for various anticancer agents to avoid their non-specific attacks on normal tissues and also to increase their cellular uptake within target cells. Folate conjugate PLGA was synthesized successfully and its chemical structure was evaluated by FTIR, DSC and (1)HNMR spectroscopy. PLGA-folate nanoparticles (PLGA-Fol NPs) were prepared by nanoprecipitation method, adopting PLGA as a drug carrier, folic acid as a targeting ligand and 9-nitrocampthotecin as a model anticancer drug. The average size and encapsulation efficiency of the prepared PLGA-Fol NPs were found to be around 115 ± 12 nm and 57%, respectively. In vitro release profile indicated that nearly 85% of the drug was released in 50 h. The in vitro intracellular uptakes of PLGA-Fol NPs showed greater cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines compared to non-folate mediated carriers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and Nano Technology Research Center, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: Sh
authors.initials: Sh
authors.lastname: Heidarian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences and Nano Technology Research Center, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran ; Nano Drug Delivery Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Derakhshandeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adibi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, I.R. Iran.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hosseinzadeh
keywords: 9-Nitrocamptothecin; In vitro cytotoxicity; PLGA-Fol nanoparticles; Targeting drug delivery