Anticancer therapeutic effect of magnetic guided cobalt ferrite/doxorubicin-loaded ROS-responsive bilirubin nanoparticles in a colon cancer model

Purpose: The aim of this study is to synthesize the cobalt iron oxide (CoFe) and doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded chitosan bilirubin (ChiBil) nanoparticles and to investigate the anticancer therapeutic effect of the synthesized nanoparticles under magnetic guidance in a colon cancer.

Materials and methods: ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticles were synthesized by conjugating CoFe and Dox and then loaded onto ChiBil nanoparticles. Synthesis were characterized using thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis, inductive coupled plasma (ICP) analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential and field emission-transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM). Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity studies were conducted in vitro. Biodistribution and tumor inhibition study was done in vivo CT-26 colon cancer model.

Results: The ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in this study. The in vitro cytotoxicity study showed that the ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticle had a toxic effect on cancer cells. The accumulation of ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticles was enhanced under magnetic guidance, as observed by in vivo. Tumor inhibition study showed that the ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticle effectively reduced tumor size in vivo mice colon cancer model, especially when combined with magnetic guidance.

Conclusion: This study showed that ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticle was successfully synthesized and effectively reduced tumor size, especially when combined with magnetic guidance. The in vitro and in vivo results suggested that the ROS stimuli responsive ChiBil-CoFe-Dox nanoparticles may be a potent therapeutic option for treating colon cancer.