Journal of Cancer Research and Pharmacology

Journal of Cancer Research and Pharmacology

Targeted PLGA-PAMAM Nanocarrier for efficient Doxorubicin Delivery against Pancreatic Cancer: An In Vitro Evaluation

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Asghar Narmani
Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/jcrph.2025.229251
Abstract
Background and Aims: Pancreatic cancer's poor prognosis necessitates advanced therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to develop a folic acid (FA)-decorated, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-polyamidoamine (PAMAM) nanocarrier for the active targeting and enhanced delivery of doxorubicin (Dox) to folate receptor-overexpressing pancreatic cancer cells.
Methods: The PLGA-PAMAM-FA nanocarrier was synthesized via EDC/NHS chemistry and characterized using FT-IR, DLS, and SEM. Dox was loaded into the nanocarrier, and its release profile was evaluated in PBS (pH 7.4). The cytotoxic effects and selectivity of the formulation (PLGA-Dox-PAMAM-FA) were assessed against PANC1 cancer cells and MSC normal cells using the MTT assay.
Results: The fabricated nanocarrier exhibited a nanometric size (281.7 ± 17.2 nm), a near-neutral surface charge (+2.6 ± 1.0 mV), and a high drug loading capacity (28 ± 3.2%). It demonstrated a controlled, sustained release of Dox (19.9% at 4 h) compared to free drug (74.7%). The targeted nanocarrier showed potent and selective cytotoxicity, with a 4-fold lower IC₅₀ (28.78 nM) in PANC1 cells than free Dox. Notably, at 100 nM, it achieved 12% cancer cell viability while maintaining 80% viability in normal cells.
Conclusion: The FA-decorated PLGA-PAMAM nanocarrier significantly enhances the potency and selectivity of Dox against pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Its optimal physicochemical properties and promising antitumor efficacy position it as a highly promising platform for the targeted treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Keywords
PLGA-PAMAM nanoparticles
Doxorubicin
Controlled drug release
Targeted drug delivery
Pancreatic cancer inhibition
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Journal of Cancer Research and Pharmacology
Volume 1, Issue 1
Summer 2025
Pages 27-37

  • Receive Date 23 July 2025
  • Revise Date 30 July 2025
  • Accept Date 10 September 2025