Issue 35, 2016, Issue in Progress

Green synthesis of folic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles with pectin as reducing/stabilizing agent for cancer theranostics

Abstract

In the present study pectin, a natural polysaccharide was employed for the one pot aqueous synthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Pectin acted at the same time as both a reducing and stabilizing agent. The formation of pectin reduced GNPs (Pec-GNPs) was confirmed by using a UV-visible spectrophotometer, with a characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 527 nm. EDS analysis proved the presence of gold in the sample. The spherical morphology and crystalline nature of the Pec-GNPs was demonstrated by TEM analysis. The FTIR spectrum revealed the capping of pectin on the surface of the synthesised GNPs. Furthermore, the Pec-GNPs are found to be stable at different pH and electrolytic conditions. In vivo safety of the Pec-GNPs was established through zebra fish toxicity studies. The cationic drug doxorubicin was successfully loaded onto the synthesized anionic Pec-GNPs by an ionic complexation interaction. In vitro release studies confirmed the pH dependent sustained release of the doxorubicin. Doxorubicin loaded Pec-GNPs exhibited enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity on breast cancer cells compared to free doxorubicin, demonstrating that Pec-GNPs are efficient vehicles for the delivery of doxorubicin. Furthermore, chitosan coupled with folic acid (FA) was decorated with Pec-GNPs-DOX as a nanocarrier to improve the targeting and enhance the drug delivery to target cancer tissues by folic acid receptor-mediated endocytosis. It was concluded that the FA@Pec-GNPs-DOX were biocompatible and suitable for anti-cancer drug delivery, and were potentially promising as a new therapeutic system for cancer treatment.

Graphical abstract: Green synthesis of folic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles with pectin as reducing/stabilizing agent for cancer theranostics

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Jan 2016
Accepted
07 Mar 2016
First published
17 Mar 2016

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 29757-29768

Author version available

Green synthesis of folic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles with pectin as reducing/stabilizing agent for cancer theranostics

R. M. Devendiran, S. K. Chinnaiyan, N. K. Yadav, G. K. Moorthy, G. Ramanathan, S. Singaravelu, U. T. Sivagnanam and P. T. Perumal, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 29757 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA01698G

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