In the field of
cancer therapy, magnetic nanoparticles modified with biocompatible copolymers are promising vehicles for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs such as
Cisplatin. The major aim of this effort was to evaluate whether
Cisplatin-Encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles improved the anti-tumour effect of free
Cisplatin in
lung cancer cells. The PLGA-PEG triblock copolymer was synthesised by ring-opening polymerisation of d,l-
lactide and glycolide with
polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) as an initiator. The bulk properties of these copolymers were characterised using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
Cisplatin-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by double
emulsion solvent evaporation technique and were characterised for size,
drug entrapment efficiency (%),
drug content (% w/w), and surface morphology. In vitro release profile of
cisplatin-loaded NP formulations was determined. Cytotoxic assays were evaluated in lung
carcinoma (A549)-treated cells by the MTT assay technique. In addition, the particles were characterised by X-ray
powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. The anti-proliferative effect of
Cisplatin appeared much earlier when the
drug was encapsulated in magnetic nanoparticles than when it was free.
Cisplatin-Encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles significantly enhanced the decrease in IC50 rate. The in vitro cytotoxicity test showed that the Fe3O4-PLGA-PEG6000 magnetic nanoparticles had no cytotoxicity and were biocompatible. The chemotherapeutic effect of free
Cisplatin on
lung cancer cells is improved by its encapsulation in modified magnetic nanoparticles. This approach has the prospective to overcome some major limitations of conventional
chemotherapy and may be a promising strategy for future applications in
lung cancer therapy.