Encapsulation of a proteasome inhibitor with gold-polysaccharide nanocarriers

Organic–inorganic hybrid nanoparticles are potential effective systems for drug delivery in cancer therapy and diagnosis. Chitosan–gum arabic with entrapped gold nanoparticles were developed as a carrier for an anticancer drug bortezomib. The nanosystem was designed to enhance the proteasome inhibitor activity in pancreatic cell lines, S2-013 and hTERT-HPNE. The hydrodynamic diameter of chitosan–gum arabic–gold nanoparticles loaded with bortezomib is around 330 nm. Laser scanning confocal microscopy images show the uptake of the gold nanoparticle/bortezomib encapsulated in chitosan–gum arabic matrix and the fast internalization of these nano combinations into pancreatic cells. Cytotoxic assays assessed that positively charged nanosystems reduce the cell growth and cell proliferation of S2-013s, but the same effect was not observed in cytotoxic response in hTERT-HPNE cells. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the capacity of chitosan–gum arabic nanocarriers to deliver gold nanoparticles/anticancer drug and to increase the permeation and retention effect in S2-013 cells and minimize drug side effects in HPNE cells.