Tamoxifen-loaded thiolated alginate-albumin nanoparticles as antitumoral drug delivery systems

Nanoparticles based on disulfide bond reduced bovine serum albumin and thiolated alginate (alginate-cysteine conjugate) have been prepared by coacervation method and have been loaded with tamoxifen (TMX). The TMX load into the nanoparticles was optimized (4-6 μg/mg NP) by freeze-drying the systems before the loading procedure. Maximum TMX release (45-52%) took place between 2 and 25 h. Cytotoxicity of unloaded nanoparticles in MCF-7 and HeLa cells was not observed, although a small decrease in viability took place at very high concentration. Cell uptake of nanoparticles occurred in both cell types and the presence of polysaccharide in the nanoparticle composition allowed a better interaction with cells. The administration of 10 μM TMX by TMX-nanoparticles was effective in both cellular lines, and the effect of the drug-loaded systems on MCF-7 cell cycle showed the efficacy of the TMX-loaded nanoparticles.