5-Fluorouracil Encapsulated Chitosan-Cellulose Fiber Bionanocomposites: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Analysis towards Colorectal Cancer Cells.

Mostafa Yusefi,Nor Azwadi Bin Che Sidik,Sin-Yeang Teow,Hui-Yin Chan,Kamyar Shameli,Pooneh Kia,Michiele Lee-Kiun Soon

doi:10.3390/nano11071691

Abstract

Cellulose and chitosan with remarkable biocompatibility and sophisticated physiochemical characteristics can be a new dawn to the advanced drug nano-carriers in cancer treatment. This study aims to synthesize layer-by-layer bionanocomposites from chitosan and rice straw cellulose encapsulated 5-Fluorouracil (CS-CF/5FU BNCs) using the ionic gelation method and the sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) cross-linker. Data from X-ray and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed successful preparation of CS-CF/5FU BNCs. Based on images of scanning electron microscopy, 48.73 ± 1.52 nm was estimated for an average size of the bionanocomposites as spherical chitosan nanoparticles mostly coated rod-shaped cellulose reinforcement. 5-Fluorouracil indicated an increase in thermal stability after its encapsulation in the bionanocomposites. The drug encapsulation efficiency was found to be 86 ± 2.75%. CS-CF/5FU BNCs triggered higher drug release in a media simulating the colorectal fluid with pH 7.4 (76.82 ± 1.29%) than the gastric fluid with pH 1.2 (42.37 ± 0.43%). In in vitro cytotoxicity assays, cellulose fibers, chitosan nanoparticles and the bionanocomposites indicated biocompatibility towards CCD112 normal cells. Most promisingly, CS-CF/5FU BNCs at 250 µg/mL concentration eliminated 56.42 ± 0.41% of HCT116 cancer cells and only 8.16 ± 2.11% of CCD112 normal cells. Therefore, this study demonstrates that CS-CF/5FU BNCs can be considered as an eco-friendly and innovative nanodrug candidate for potential colorectal cancer treatment.

Highlights

Conversion of natural-based residues into useful and novel materials may tackle financial and environmental issues [1]
Scheme 1 depicts the synthesis of a novel nanocomposites of rice straw CF and CS
CF was successfully extracted from rice straw waste by a series of chemical modifications, such as, bleaching, delignification, and alkali treatments

Summary

Introduction

Conversion of natural-based residues into useful and novel materials may tackle financial and environmental issues [1]. In this regard, rice straw is an abundant lignocellulosic residue, which contains a high ratio of cellulose to use in a myriad of research fields [2,3]. Plant cellulose possesses advantageous and unique mechanical, optical and rheological characteristics, along with a sensitivity to the particular molecular structure of the antigen and pH-sensitivity for synthesis of novel polymeric nanodrug formulations [4]. Its physiochemical characteristics suitably can be modified by esterification, etherification, de-polymerization, radical grafting and alkali treatments to impart exogenous groups over the cellulose structure without damaging its advantageous intrinsic characteristics [5]

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Conclusion