The present study aims to develop a multifunctional nanoformulation based on technetium-99m labeled, folate conjugated, methotrexate-loaded human serum albumin nanoparticles (HSA NPs) and explore their potential in cancer theragnostics.
Materials & methods: Methotrexate-loaded HSA NPs were synthesized by a reverse microemulsion technique, followed by chemical crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. These NPs were conjugated with folic acid (FA) through a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol spacer to render them long-circulatory and augment their tumor-specific localization. The therapeutic conjugate was further radiolabeled with a γ-emitter technetium-99m for real-time monitoring of its blood clearance kinetics and biodistribution through the measurement of blood/organ-associated radioactivity and scintigraphic imaging.
Results & conclusion: In vitro cell-uptake and cytotoxicity studies corroborated that FA conjugation enabled these NPs to specifically target and kill folate-receptor overexpressing cancer cells via S phase arrest. Blood clearance kinetics and biodistribution studies clearly indicated that circulation time, as well as tumor-specific localization of methotrexate-loaded HSA nanocarriers, could be significantly augmented upon polyethylene glycolylation and conjugation of FA. Finally, we demonstrated that these targeted HSA NPs inhibited tumor growth more effectively, as compared with the nontargeted controls.