Doxorubicin-loaded chitosan-alginate nanoparticles with dual mucoadhesive functionalities for intravesical chemotherapy

This study aimed to synthesize dual-functional mucoadhesive nanoparticles (NPs) for intravesical chemotherapy. Maleimide-bearing chitosan (Mal-CS) and catechol-bearing alginate (Cat-Alg) were synthesized to develop mucoadhesive NPs with dual mucoadhesive moieties (Mal-CS-Cat-Alg). The NPs had a size of 116-182 nm. The NPs were retained on the bladder mucosa to a greater extent than the unmodified NPs. A high concentration of doxorubicin (DOX; 249 mu g/mg) was incorporated into the NPs. The NPs were able to retard the release of DOX for up to 24 h and had a potent inhibitory effect against MB49 cells. Moreover, the DOX-loaded NPs effectively increased the uptake of the drug into the cells. Therefore, DOX-loaded Mal-CS-Cat-Alg NPs may be a potential platform for intravesical delivery of DOX to bladder cancer. However, the clinical efficacy of these NPs should be further demonstrated in animal and clinical studies.

Automated summary

This study synthesized dual-functional mucoadhesive nanoparticles for intravesical chemotherapy, demonstrating effective drug delivery and potent inhibitory effects against cancer cells, showing potential clinical applications.