Thermosensitive folic acid-targeted poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) hemisuccinate polymeric nanoparticles for delivery of epirubicin to breast cancer cells

A novel thermosensitive folic acid (FA)-targeted succinylated poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) (EVOHS-FA) nanocarrier was synthesized for the specific delivery of epirubicin (EPI) to MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Three different ratios of synthesized EVOH-Suc were reacted with FA. The structure of the desired products (EVOHS40-FA, EVOHS60-FA and EVOHS80-FA) was confirmed by H-1 NMR and FTIR techniques. Nanoparticles were obtained by nano-precipitation procedure using DMSO/H2O as solvent/anti-solvent. The particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficacy and in vitro release profile of the final formulations in different temperatures were measured. The optimized nanoparticles had the particle size of 214 +/- 8.5 nm, zeta potential of -29.6 mV, PDI of 0.198 +/- 0.04, and a high encapsulation efficiency that released the drug efficiently within 450 h at the temperature of 40 degrees C compared to 37 degrees C. The morphology of nanoparticles was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay on MCF-7 cell lines in response to temperatures of 37 and 40 degrees C. The MTT assay indicated that the targeted nanoparticles carrying EPI were significantly more cytotoxic than the non-targeted nanoparticles and the free drug at 40 degrees C.