Preparation and characterization of cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol-co-methyl methacrylate) colloidal nanoparticles from hydrolysis of poly (vinyl acetate-co-methyl methacrylate) as a promising cancer drug delivery system

Abstract

Amphiphilic cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol-methyl methacrylate) (PVA-PMMA) copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using a two-step process. Unlike other polymers, which are typically produced via direct polymerization, PVA is produced from the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc). Therefore, in the first part of the project, copolymeric PVAc-PMMA NPs were prepared by using the radical emulsion polymerization method in different concentrations of BDOD (0–10% mol.) and water: methanol compositions. Conversion degree, morphology, particle size, and polymerization rate of non-agglomerated samples were evaluated. The optimal sample that synthesized in water: methanol % (90:10) as polymerization medium and 2.5% mol. crosslinker was hydrolyzed by 0.6 M NaOH solution. To confirm the hydrolysis reaction, FE-SEM, FT-IR, DLS, ¹H NMR, and TGA tests were performed. The optimal sample was loaded by methotrexate (MTX), and drug release investigated at different times by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The sustained and pH-responsive profile of drug release in vitro was observed, and 47.24% of the drug was released at pH = 7.4 and 65.39% at pH = 5.8 after 96 h. Also, the MTT assay and dual-fluorescent acridine orange/propidium iodide assay showed that drug-loaded nanocarriers exhibited anticancer activity as applied to MCF-7 cells.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Copolymer
• nanoparticles (NPs)
• drug delivery
• methotrexate
• poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
• poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Afshin Javadi for providing the MTX and his kind support.

Authors’ contributions

Mehdi Jahanbakhshi: Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Writing – review & editing. Mohsen Shahrousvand: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Writing – review & editing, Project administration.

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.