Chondroitin sulfate-mediated albumin corona nanoparticles for the treatment of breast cancer

Chondroitin sulfate-mediated albumin corona nanoparticles were readily prepared without any chemical reaction, and their active tumor targeting and therapeutic effects were examined. Negatively charged chondroitin sulfate (CS) and positively charged doxorubicin (DOX) self-assembled into nanoparticles (CS-DOX-NPs) via electrostatic interactions. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was then adsorbed on the surface of CS-DOX-NPs to form albumin corona nanoparticles (BC-DOX-NPs) protected from endogenous proteins. Due to the dual effect of BSA and CS, BC-DOX-NPs interacted with the gp60, SPARC and CD44 receptors on tumor cells, facilitating their rapid and efficient transcytosis and improving their accumulation and uptake within tumor tissues. The simultaneous presence of BSA and CS also allowed BC-DOX-NPs to target CD44 efficiently, leading to greater cellular uptake and cytotoxicity against 4T1 cells than CS-DOX-NPs or free DOX. Intravenous injection of BC-DOX-NPs into orthotopic 4T1 tumor-bearing mice led to greater drug accumulation at the tumor site than with CS-DOX-NPs or free DOX, resulting in significant inhibition of tumor growth and lower exposure of major organs to the drug. (C) 2021 Shenyang Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

Chondroitin sulfate-mediated albumin corona nanoparticles were prepared without chemical reaction, showing active tumor targeting and therapeutic effects. Bovine serum albumin was adsorbed onto the surface of chondroitin sulfate-DOX nanoparticles, forming albumin corona nanoparticles that improved drug accumulation in tumor tissues and targeted CD44 efficiently. Injection of these nanoparticles into tumor-bearing mice resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth and lower exposure of major organs to the drug.