siRNA-FAM and Paclitaxel delivery to MCF-7 cells via folic acid-PLA-Spermine-PEG-Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Chemistry, Ard.C., Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran.

2 Department of Biology, Ard.C., Islamic Azad University, Ardabil, Iran.

Abstract

Objective(s): An effective targeted cancer therapy should maximize drug accumulation within tumors while minimizing off-target effects on healthy tissues. Folate receptors, frequently overexpressed in various malignancies, render folic acid a promising targeting ligand for nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery.
Materials and Methods: For this study, folic acid (FA)-modified PLA-spermine-PEG-Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized. These multifunctional nanoparticles were employed for the co-delivery of siRNA and paclitaxel (PTX) to targeted sites. The structural and morphological properties of the fabricated nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
Results: TGA and FTIR analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of the PLA-spermine-PEG-FA (FPSP) copolymer. TEM and SEM imaging revealed that the FPSPFe/siRNA-FAM/PTX micelles possessed a smooth, spherical morphology. Additionally, VSM measurements indicated that the micelles exhibited suitable magnetic properties at room temperature. The drug release behavior of the FPSPFe/siRNA-FAM/PTX micelles was evaluated under both neutral and acidic conditions, demonstrating accelerated release under acidic pH conditions. The MTT assay demonstrated good biocompatibility of the micelles, while flow cytometry confirmed their ability to effectively deliver siRNA-FAM and PTX.
Conclusion: The results demonstrated the high efficiency of FPSPFe/siRNA-FAM/PTX micelles in delivering both PTX and siRNA-FAM to MCF-7 cancer cells simultaneously.

Keywords

References

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 September 2025

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