Targeting liver cancer via ASGP receptor using 5-FU-loaded surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles.

Context: Liver cancer is widespread liver malignancy in the world, for an estimated one million deaths annually.

Objective: In present work, lactobionic acid conjugated PLGA nanoparticles (LDNPs) bearing 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) were developed for targeted delivery to hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Lactobionic acid conjugated PLGA was used to prepare LDNPs using modified emulsion diffusion method.

Results: They were characterised for particle morphology, particle size (below 150 nm), zeta potential and polydispersity index (PDI ∼0.35), entrapment efficiency (∼60.23%), and cumulative percent drug release.

Discussion: LDNPs in ex-vivo cell line studies on human cancer cell line HepG2 exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity compared to 5-FU and DNPs (unconjugated PLGA NPs) with growth inhibition 50% (GI50) of 66.7 µg/mL, 50.2 µg/mL and 35.5 µg/mL, respectively. In vivo studies exhibited higher drug concentration about 37.52 ± 0.68% in liver as compared to other organs and plasma.

Conclusion: Thus, LDNPs showed high drug loading, specificity, biocompatibility and efficacy in treatment of liver cancer.