Preparation and characterization of amine-functionalized mupirocin-loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles: A potent drug delivery agent in targeting human epidermoid carcinoma (A431) cells

Abstract

Skin cancer is one of the conventional malignities hastened in humans associated with sunburns, exhibiting considerable morbidity rate disparity. Besides the current treatments, nanotechnology alongside combination therapy holds enormous potential in treating metastatic tumors by selectively targeting cell surface receptors with a suitable carrier for drug delivery. The primary purpose of this research involves investigating and scrutinizing the physicochemical characteristics and antiproliferative effects of amine-functionalized and mupirocin-loaded zinc oxide nanoparticles (AZNP-MUP). Physicochemical characterization of the AZNP-MUP revealed spherical NPs (18.6 nm) on the drug-loaded matrix developed by EDC/NHS mediation, with an average crystallite grain size of 24.75 nm. The 50% hydroxyl radical scavenging activity for the conjugate (AZNP-MUP) was achieved at 91.89 μg/ml, the best concentration evinced when juxtaposed with the other antioxidant assays in the study. Moreover, AZNP-MUP inhibited the growth of V. cholera, E. faecalis and L. monocytogenes more significantly, with a greater zone of inhibition (25 mm) than AZNP. The conjugate AZNP-MUP manifested a strong antiproliferative effect with a higher percentage of necrotic cells (63%) and more DNA fragmentation than AZNP. Our results evince that AZNP-MUP could be adeptly proposed as a skin cancer therapy strategy to improve current patients' treatments.