Synthesis and characterization of self-assembledpolymeric nanoparticles for dual drug delivery in cancer.

Abstract

Chemotherapy is the important primary treatment for cancer. However traditional chemotherapeutic drugs fail to selectively accumulate at the tumor site, resulting in undesired side effects and inadequate drug concentrations reaching the tumor. Harnessing nanotechnology based platforms could reduce these side effects and improve the efficacy of therapeutics through enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Moreover, using single chemotherapeutic drug eventually leads to drug resistance. Hence drug combinations are used in cancer chemotherapy, although free drugs lead to unwanted side effects. To overcome toxic side effects and drug resistance, in current study, we have developed self-assembled polymeric nanoparticles from poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PMA) to deliver dual cytotoxic drugs (proflavine and cisplatin), and PI3K signalling inhibitor (PI103) simultaneously in cancer. The size, shape and morphology of nanoparticles were characterized by FESEM, AFM, DLS and confocal microscopy. The nanoparticles released dual drugs in slow and sustained manner over a long period of time at pH 5.5 mimicking lysosomal compartment in cells. Present study put forward the potential of PMA as a promising and versatile nano-vector for dual drug delivery in cancer.