Abstract:
Arsenic trioxide loaded biocompatible PHB–PVA1 nanoparticles (<100 nm in size) with folate functionalized
surface were synthesized using poly-[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid] (PHB) produced by Bacillus firmus
NII 0830. Folate functionalization was carried using dicyclohexyl carbodiimide (DCC) as a catalyst and
10-bromodecanol as a linker to conjugate glutamic acid terminal of folate with the hydroxylate groups present
on the surface of PHBA–PVA2 nanotrojans. The effect of fabrication parameters on shape, size distribution
and PDI of the PHB nanoparticles were also investigated. It was observed that increase in sonication
time and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) concentration greatly reduced the size of nanoparticles. The drug release
studies on arsenic trioxide incorporated PHB–PVA nanoparticles were conducted at physiological pH and
temperature. FOL–PHBA–PVA3 nanoparticles showed greater extent of cytotoxicity towards murine fibrosarcoma
L929 cells than PHBA–PVA nanoparticles alone without conjugated folate, indicating the significance
of folate as ligand for specific targeting of FR+ cancer cells
