Cationic bovine serum albumin (CBA) conjugated poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles for extended delivery of methotrexate into brain tumors

Abstract

Current strategies for the treatment of brain tumors have been hindered primarily by the presence of the highly lipophilic, insurmountable blood–brain barrier (BBB). The purpose of the current research is to investigate the efficiency of the engineered biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) as drug delivery vehicles to bypass the BBB and enhance the biopharmaceutical attributes of anti-metabolite methotrexate (MTX) encapsulated NPs. The NPs were prepared by the solvent diffusion method, using cationic bovine serum albumin (CBA), and were characterized for physicochemical parameters, such as particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta-potential, while the surface modification was confirmed by FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy. The developed NPs exhibited the zestful relocation of FITC tagged NPs across the BBB in albino rats. Further, hemolytic studies confirmed them to be non-toxic and biocompatible, as compared to free MTX. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay of our engineered NPs on HNGC1 tumor cells proved the superior uptake in tumor cells, and elicited a potent cytotoxic effect, compared to plain NPs and the free MTX solution. The outcomes of the study evidently indicate the prospect of CBA conjugated poly (D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) NPs loaded with MTX in a brain cancer bomber, with the amplified capability to circumvent the BBB.