We have developed a micellar formulation of anticancer drugs based on chitosan and heparin grafted with lipoic and oleic acids that can release the cytotoxic cargo (doxorubicin) in response to external stimuli, such as increased glutathione concentration-a hallmark of cancer. Natural polysaccharides (heparin and chitosan) provide the pH sensitivity of the nanocarrier: the release of doxorubicin (Dox) is enhanced in a slightly acidic environment (tumor microenvironment). Fatty acid residues are necessary for the formation of nanoparticles (micelles) and solubilization of cytostatics in a hydrophobic core. Lipoic acid residues provide the formation of a labile S-S cross-linking between polymer chains (the first variant) or covalently attached doxorubicin molecules through glutathione-sensitive S-S bridges (the second variant)-both determine Redox sensitivity of the anticancer drugs carriers stable in blood circulation and disintegrate after intracellular uptake in the tumor cells. The release of doxorubicin from micelles occurs slowly (20%/6 h) in an environment with a pH of 7.4 and the absence of glutathione, while in a slightly acidic environment and in the presence of 10 mM glutathione, the rate increases up to 6 times, with an increase in the effective concentration up to 5 times after 7 h. The permeability of doxorubicin in micellar formulations (covalent S-S cross-linked and not) into Raji, K562, and A875 cancer cells was studied using FTIR, fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). We have shown dramatically improved accumulation, decreased efflux, and increased cytotoxicity compared to doxorubicin control with three tumor cell lines: Raji, K562, and A875. At the same time, cytotoxicity and permeability for non-tumor cells (HEK293T) are significantly lower, increasing the selectivity index against tumor cells by several times.
Keywords: doxorubicin; glutathione sensitivity; non-target toxicity; polymeric micelles; tumor targeting.