pH-Dependent doxorubicin release from terpolymer of starch, polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80 nanoparticles for overcoming multi-drug resistance in human breast cancer cells

This work investigated the capability of a new nanoparticulate system, based on terpolymer of starch, polymethacrylic acid and polysorbate 80, to load and release doxorubicin (Dox) as a function of pH and to evaluate the anticancer activity of Dox-loaded nanoparticles (Dox-NPs) to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) in human breast cancer cells in vitro. The Dox-NPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the Dox-loaded nanoparticles were investigated using fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay. The nanoparticles were able to load up to 49.7±0.3% of Dox with a high loading efficiency of 99.9±0.1%, while maintaining good colloidal stability. The nanoparticles released Dox at a higher rate at acidic pH attributable to weaker Dox-polymer molecular interactions evidenced by ITC. The Dox-NPs were taken up by the cancer cells in vitro and significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of Dox against human MDR1 cells with up to a 20-fold decrease in the IC50 values. The results suggest that the new terpolymeric nanoparticles are a promising vehicle for the controlled delivery of Dox for treatment of drug resistant breast cancer.