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Photolytic Controlled Release Formulation of Methotrexate Loaded in Chitosan/TiO 2 Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer.

Nusaiba K Al-NemrawiFatima HameedatBelal Al-HuseinSukaina Nimrawi
Published in: Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
A new system composed of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with methotrexate (MTX-CS-NPs) and functionalized with photocatalytic TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 -NPs) was prepared. This system is expected to initiate polymeric rupture of MTX-CS-NPs and subsequently release MTX, upon illumination with UV light. MTX-CS-NPs were prepared and characterized in terms of particle size, charge, polydispersity and drug release before and after coating with TiO 2 -NPs. The release of MTX in vitro was studied in dark, light and UV light. Finally, coated and uncoated MTX-CS-NPs were studied in vitro using MCF-7 cell line. The functionalized NPs were larger in size, more polydisperse and carried higher positive charges compared to the unfunctionalized NPs. The entrapment efficacy was high reaching 75% and was not affected by coating with MTX-CS-NPs. Further, less than 5% of methotrexate was released after 80 h from uncoated NPs and the release was not enhanced by UV illumination of the particles. In contrast, the release from functionalized NPs was enhanced, reaching 40% after 80 h, as the particles were stroked with UV light and as the amount of TiO 2 -NPs used in coating increased. Finally, coating the MTX-CS-NPs with TiO 2 -NPs significantly enhanced their cytotoxicity on MCF-7 cells. The coated MTX-CS-NPs recorded low cell viabilities compared to the other formulations. In conclusion, the drug release of MTX-CS-NPs could be triggered and controlled remotely by coating with TiO 2 -NPs, which maybe more effective in cancer treatment.
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