Investigation of Encapsulated Selenium Nanoparticles with PLGA Polymers Against MCF-7 and HBL Cell Lines

Abstract

As cancer-related deaths continue to rise, developments in nanotechnology have emerged as a feasible option for finding successful treatments targeting cancerous cells while avoiding all of the drawbacks of traditional drugs. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been reported to exhibit an inhibitory effect on cancerous cells. The aim of the present study was to use the drug delivery systems poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid-poly(ethylene glycol)-folic acid (PLGA-PEG-FA) to encapsulate SeNPs and investigate their antineoplastic effects against two cell line types (MCF-7 as a positive folate receptor and HBL as a negative folate receptor) by exploiting overexpression features in some types of cancer cells to ensure delivery of drug molecules at high dosages toward targeted cells and circumvent normal cells/tissues. SeNPs were chemically synthesized and characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). The cytotoxicity of both nanomaterials was evaluated against MCF-7 and HBL cells by using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay which showed a high cytotoxic effect against MCF-7 cells with a lesser effect against HBL cells. Additionally, an apoptosis assay was also performed by using acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual staining, and the antioxidant effect was also investigated by using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) colorimetric method with high antioxidant potential for both formulations. They showed nonhemolytic activity on human red blood cells. This work could be considered promising for pharmaceutical formulation.