| Purpose: The objective of the current study was to compare the anticancer efficacy of
doxorubicin-loaded cellulose based magnetic (Fe3O4), zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on and
free doxorubicin (DOX) on MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
Methods: Novel pH-sensitive cellulose-graft poly acrylic acid based Fe3O4 (Cellulose-g-PAAg-
PAcMNPs) and ZnO (Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcZnO) nanocomposites were synthesized via
polymerization of acrylic acid and modified 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate onto the
cellulosic backbone via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method.
Results: Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcMNPs and Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcZnO nanocarriers with mean
diameter of 15 and 38 nm were prepared successfully. DOX was loaded effectively to the
ZnO and Fe3O4 nanocarriers via complexing and electrostatic force with great encapsulation
efficiency of 99.07% and 98.92%, respectively. DOX-loaded nanocarriers showed obvious pHdependent
tumor specific drug release pattern. MTT assay results indicated that IC50 of the
DOX loaded Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcZnO, DOX loaded Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcMNPs and free
DOX after 48 hours treatment with MCF7 cell lines were about 24.03, 49.27 and 99.76 μg mL−1,
respectively. Therefore both DOX nanoformulations significantly increase antitumor ability
compared to free DOX (P < 0.05). The results of MTT assay and DAPI staining revealed that
DOX-loaded Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcZnO NPs show higher chemotherapy efficiency in MCF7
breast cancer cell line compare to the DOX-loaded Cellulose-g-PAA-g-PAcMNPs due to high
interaction of ZnO with DOX.
Conclusion: The formation of the complexes between the DOX and ZnO nanoparticles at
the chelating sites of the quinone and the phenolic oxygen molecules of DOX, lead to more
sustained drug release and enhanced chemotherapy effectiveness by increasing the intracellular
concentration of DOX. |