Chemotherapeutics Loaded Poly(Dopamine) Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Breast Cancer Treatment.

Abstract

Chemophotothermal therapy is an emerging treatment for metastatic and drug resistant cancer anomalies. Among various photothermal agents tested, polydopamine provides an excellent biocompatible alternative that can be used to develop novel drug delivery carriers for cancer treatment. This study explores the synthesis of starch encapsulated, polydopamine coated core-shell nanoparticles, in a one pot synthesis approach and by surfactant free approach. The nanoparticles produced are embellished with polymeric stealth coatings and are tested for their physiological stability, photothermal properties, and drug delivery in metastatic triple negative breast cancer cell (TNBC) lines. Our results indicate that stealth polymer coated nanoparticles exhibit superior colloidal stability under physiological conditions, and are excellent photothermal agents, as was determined by the increase in temperature of solution in the presence of nanoparticles, upon laser irradiation. The chemotherapeutic drug loaded nanoparticles also showed concentration dependent toxicities in TNBC and in a brain metastatic cell line. Significance Statement This study for the first time develops biocompatible core-shell nanoparticles in template free approach that can serve as drug delivery carrier and as photothermal agents for cancer treatment.