On-Chip Preparation of Amphiphilic Nanomicelles-in-Sodium Alginate Spheroids as a Novel Platform Against Triple-Negative Human Breast Cancer Cells: Fabrication, Study of Microfluidics Flow Hydrodynamics and Proof of Concept for Anticancer and Drug Delivery Applications

Abstract

Spheroidal microparticles versatility as a drug carrier makes it a real workhorse in drug delivery applications. Despite of their long history, few research publications emphasize on how to improve their potential targeting ability, production rate, and dissolution characteristics. The current research presents an example of the combined state of the art of nano- and microparticles development technologies. Here in a novel on-chip, microfluidics approach is developed for encapsulating amphiphilic nanomicelles-in-sodium alginate spheroid. The designed nano-in-micro drug delivery system revealed a superior cytotoxicity against triple-negative human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231), besides, a more sustained release of the drug. Hydrodynamics of the designed microchip was also investigated as a function of different flow rates with an insight on the dimensionless numbers; capillary number and Weber number throughout the microchannels. Our study confirmed the efficient encapsulation of nanomicelles within the alginate shell. The current microfluidics approach can be efficiently applied for uniform production of nano-in-microparticles with potential anticancer capability.

Keywords: Western immunoblotting; alginate spheroids; amphiphilic micelles; focus flow microchip; triple negative human breast cancer cells.