Anticancer potential of docetaxel-loaded cobalt ferrite nanocarrier: an in vitro study on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines

Abstract

Aim

To develop a biocompatible cobalt ferrite (CF-NP) nanodrug formulation using oleic acid and poly (d,l-lactide-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) for the delivery of docetaxel (DTX) specifically to breast cancer cells.

Methods

The CF-NP were synthesised by hydrothermal method and conjugated with DTX in a PLGA matrix and were systematically characterised using XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, DLS, FTIR, TGA, SQUID etc. The drug loading, in vitro drug release, cellular uptake, cytotoxicity were evaluated and haemolytic effect was studied.

Results

The CF-NP showed good crystallinity with an average particle size of 21 nm and ferromagnetic nature. The DTX-loaded CF-NP (DCF-NP) showed 8.4% (w/w) drug loading with 81.8% loading efficiency with a sustained DTX release over time. An effective internalisation and anti-proliferative efficiency was observed in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and negligible haemolytic effect.

Conclusion

The DCF-NP can have the potential for the effective delivery of DTX for breast cancer treatment.

Keywords:

• Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles
• breast cancer
• docetaxel
• cytotoxicity
• biocompatibility

Acknowledgement

J. P. acknowledges UGC for providing UGC-BSR fellowship (Ref. No.- P-1/RS/86/16). Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), Govt. of India is thankfully acknowledged for research funding (project no. ECR/2017/003250 and EEQ/2016/000617). The UPE and DSA program of UGC and the PURSE program of DST, Government of India are also acknowledged. Further Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB) and UGC-DAE CSR, Kolkata are also being acknowledged for providing instrumentation facilities.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), DST, Govt. of India.