Synthesis, characterisation and enhanced apoptotic effect of gemcitabine-loaded albumin nanoparticles coating with chitosan

Abstract

Gemcitabine was loaded in albumin nanoparticles then coated with chitosan. The diameter of GEM-ANPs/CS was 200 ± 4 nm. Gemcitabine was loaded in GEM-ANPs/CS with an efficacy of 75%. The IC₅₀ of GEM-ANPs/CS was found to be 12.98 and 6.08 μg/ml after incubation for 48 and 72 h with MCF-7 cells, respectively. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with IC₅₀ of GEM-ANPS, and GEM-ANP_S/CS resulted in membrane damage which led to elevated LDH activity of 4 and 3.4, and increasing GSH level of 4.6 and 9.3, respectively, when compared with untreated cells. DNA fragmentation and up-regulated of caspase-3 and p53 had illustrated the apoptotic effect of MCF-7 treated with GEM-ANP_S/CS. The tumour suppressor RRM1 gene expression was down-regulated in MCF-7 cells treated with GEM-ANP_S/CS. The modified ANPs coated with chitosan may be used as a promising nanomatrix for gemcitabine delivery and targeting to improve its therapeutic index against MCF-7 cells.

Keywords:

• Albumin nanoparticles
• gemcitabine
• chitosan
• MCF-7
• apoptosis

Acknowledgements

The authors thanks Biochemistry branches in Faculty of Science of Tanta University, Central of laboratory of Tanta University and Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University for facility our works.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability

Data available are within the article. We confirm that data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.