Investigation of Folate-Functionalized Magnetic-Gold Nanoparticles Based Targeted Drug Delivery for Liver: In Vitro, In Vivo and Docking Studies

Magnetic nanoparticles used for targeted drug administration present a promising approach in cancer treatment owing to its notable advantages, such as targeted and enhanced encapsulation ability and improved bio protection compared with conventional drug delivery methods. Au shell-iron core nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@Au) were manufactured by a chemical process, coated with dextran to encapsulate curcumin, and functionalized for precision drug delivery using folic acid to combat liver cancer. Dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and magnetometry were applied to assess the synthesis of the Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA compound. The mean size, zeta potential, and polydispersity of Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA were 63.3 ± 2.33 nm, -68.3 ± 1.78 mV, and 0.041 ± 0.008, respectively. Molecular docking models were created to examine the relationship between Fe₃O₄@Au-CU and BCL-XL, BAK, and to identify potential binding sites. The loading efficiency and release profile tests examined the medication delivery system's ability. MTT assay was subsequently utilized to determine the optimal dosage and therapeutic efficacy of Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA on cancer SNU-449 and healthy THLE-2 cell lines. Flow cytometry demonstrated that Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA effectively induced cancer cell death. Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-FA showed a regulated release profile of free curcumin at 37 °C and pH values of 7.4 and 5.4. Real-time PCR revealed increased BAK expression and decreased BCL-XL expression. Nude tumor-bearing mice were used for in vivo experiments. Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA treatment dramatically reduced the swelling size compared with free CU and control treatments. It also resulted in a longer lifespan, expanded splenocyte proliferation, increased IFN-γ levels, and decreased IL-4 levels. The regular cells showed no cytotoxic effect compared with the cancer type, confirming that Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA maintained its potent anticancer actions. The data suggests that Fe₃O₄@Au-DEX-CU-FA possesses a promising potential as a therapeutic agent for combating tumors.