Background
To prepare sorafenib-loaded folate-decorated bovine serum nanoparticles (FA-SRF-BSANPs) and investigate their effect on the tumor targeting.
Conclusion
FA-modified albumin nanoparticles are good carriers for delivering SRF to the tumor tissue, which can improve the therapeutic effect and reduce the side effects of the drug.
Methods
The nanoparticles were characterized and evaluated by in vivo and in vitro experiments.
Results
SRF-loaded BSA nanoparticles (SRF-BSANPs) was first prepared and modified with folic acid by chemical coupling to obtain FA-SRF-BSANPs. The average particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading of the optimized FA-SRF-BSANPs were 158.00 nm, -16.27 mV, 77.25%, and 7.73%, respectively. The stability test showed that FA-SRF-BSANPs remained stable for more than 1 month at room temperature. The TEM analysis showed that the surface of FA-SRF-BSANPs was nearly spherical. XRD analysis showed that the drug existed in. the nanoparticles in an amorphous state. FA-SRF-BSANPs can promote the intracellular uptake of hepatoma cells (SMMC-7721) with the strongest inhibitory effect compared with SRF-BSANPs and sorafenib solution. Furthermore, the tumor targeting of FA-SRF-BSANPs (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.666 ± 0.053) was significantly higher than those of SRF-BSANPs (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.560 ± 0.083) and sorafenib-solution (Ctumor/Cblood, 0.410 ± 0.038) in nude mice with liver cancer.