Intracellular Trafficking of Size-Tuned Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

last updated: 2024-02-06
TitleIntracellular Trafficking of Size-Tuned Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Publication TypePapers in Scientific Journals
Year of Publication2023
AuthorsGimondi S., Ferreira H., Reis R. L., and Neves N. M.
EditorsBattino M.
Abstract

Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used as drug delivery systems in nanomedicine. Despite their widespread application, a comprehensive understanding of their intracellular trafficking remains elusive. In the present study, we focused on exploring the impact of a 20 nm difference in size on NP performance, including drug delivery capabilities and intracellular trafficking. For that, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA-PEG) NPs with sizes of 50 and 70 nm were precisely tailored. To assess their prowess in encapsulating and releasing therapeutic agents, we have employed doxorubicin (Dox), a well-established anticancer drug widely utilized in clinical settings, as a model drug. Then, the beneficial effect of the developed nanoformulations was evaluated in breast cancer cells. Finally, we performed a semiquantitative analysis of both NPs’ uptake and intracellular localization by immunostaining lysosomes, early endosomes, and recycling endosomes. The results show that the smaller NPs (50 nm) were able to reduce the metabolic activity of cancer cells more efficiently than NPs of 70 nm, in a time and concentration-dependent manner. These findings are corroborated by intracellular trafficking studies that reveal an earlier and higher uptake of NPs, with 50 nm compared to the 70 nm ones, by the breast cancer cells. Consequently, this study demonstrates that NP size, even in small increments, has an important impact on their therapeutic effect.

JournalInternational Journal Of Molecular Sciences
Volume25
Pagination312
Date Published2023-12-25
PublisherMDPI
ISSN1422-0067
DOI10.3390/ijms25010312
URLhttps://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010312
KeywordsInternalization, intracellular trafficking, PEGylation, Polymeric nanoparticles, size-controlled nanoparticles
RightsopenAccess
Peer reviewedyes
Statuspublished

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