Biofunctionalized Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles with Bovine Serum Albumin for Targeted Cytotoxicity in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Sanam Rahujo; Farah Naz Talpur; Abdul Qadeer Laghari; Olcay Mert; Hassan Imran Afridi; Zafar Ali; Noshad Razzaque; Imamdin Chandio; Noor Zaman; Masroor Abro

doi:10.22146/ijc.109676

Biofunctionalized Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles with Bovine Serum Albumin for Targeted Cytotoxicity in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.109676

Sanam Rahujo^(1*), Farah Naz Talpur⁽²⁾, Abdul Qadeer Laghari⁽³⁾, Olcay Mert⁽⁴⁾, Hassan Imran Afridi⁽⁵⁾, Zafar Ali⁽⁶⁾, Noshad Razzaque⁽⁷⁾, Imamdin Chandio⁽⁸⁾, Noor Zaman⁽⁹⁾, Masroor Abro⁽¹⁰⁾

(1) National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
(2) National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
(3) Department of Chemical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
(4) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli 413805, Turkey
(5) National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
(6) Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Engineering and IT, University of Turbat, Balochistan 75700, Pakistan
(7) National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
(8) MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
(9) National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro 76080, Pakistan
(10) Department of Chemical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro 76062, Pakistan
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract

The titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂NPs) were synthesized and functionalized with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to yield TiO₂@BSA nanocomposites for targeted drug delivery. The chemotherapeutic drug vinorelbine (VRL), used for non-small cell lung and breast cancer, was loaded into the nanocomposites by a cost-efficient sol-gel method. The UV-vis spectrum exhibited an absorption peak at 361 nm, confirming the formation of TiO₂ NPs. In the FTIR spectrum, the grafting of BSA was indicated by specific band shifts. XRD and FESEM revealed well-dispersed spherical particles with an average crystallite size of ⁓20 nm, and EDX confirmed elemental composition. The zeta potential of −29 mV indicated colloidal stability with a drug loading efficiency of 62%. In vitro release studies demonstrated pH-responsive behavior, with 98% cumulative release at an acidic pH (5.5) compared to 20% at physiological pH (7.4), indicating the suitability of this formulation for tumor-targeted delivery. Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models were used for the kinetics study, indicating that the mechanism was controlled by diffusion and swelling. Cytotoxicity evaluation via MTT assay showed enhanced uptake and anticancer activity of VRL-loaded TiO₂@BSANPs against MCF-7 cells compared with free VRL. These results suggest TiO₂@BSA nanocarriers as efficient, stable, and selective platforms for cancer therapy.

Keywords

bovine serum albumin; titanium dioxide nanoparticles; targeted drug delivery; breast cancer; vinorelbine drug

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ijc.109676