Enhancing the efficacy of cisplatin against breast cancer cells using carnosine‐functionalized magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract

The majorities of chemotherapy drugs and drug‐delivery models have significant health concerns and cause undesirable side effects because they lack specificity and proper targeting systems and are too large. It is crucial to prioritize the rational design and synthesis of chemotherapeutics that specifically target their intended sites. This research work aims to create magnetic nanocarriers conjugated with L‐carnosine (CAR) as a cancer‐targeting peptide for the development of targeted anticancer drugs. These nanoparticles are designed to reduce toxicity, allow for sustained release, and increase the circulating time of cisplatin. The nanoparticles were made by coating them with silane and an aldehyde linker, which allowed them to be attached to L‐carnosine peptide. Cisplatin was then attached to the surface of the nanoparticles via chemical bonds. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using vibrating sample magnetometer, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy and FT‐IR spectrophotometry. In vitro studies demonstrated the cytotoxic and inhibitory effects of cisplatin nanoconjugates on breast cancer cells. Significantly, the nanoconjugates showed higher potency compared to free cisplatin. In continuous study, the optimization of synthesized compounds was performed using the DMol3 module in Materials Studio 2017. Energy calculations and molecular docking analysis using the HEX software revealed that the nanoconjugates showed stronger binding to the minor and major grooves of the DNA receptor. These interactions involved eight hydrogen bonds, exceeding those of other compounds.