Folic Acid Targeted Selenium–Curcumin Nanoparticles to Enhance Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

Despite advancements in drug delivery, breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, and creating therapeutic systems that balance efficacy and safety remains a challenge. Selenium (Se) and curcumin (Cur) exhibit antioxidant and anticancer properties, but their efficient application in cancer therapy is complex. This study developed a targeted drug delivery system for 4T1 breast cancer cells using selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) loaded with curcumin and coated with chitosan-folic acid (Cs-FA) to enhance targeting efficiency. The incorporation of Cs-FA and Cur increased nanoparticle size from 105 to 184.2 nm and reduced 4T1 cell viability by 40% at a concentration of 40 µg/mL. The Cs-FA coating significantly enhanced apoptosis, as evidenced by upregulated p53 and downregulated BCL2 gene expression compared to other formulations. These results suggest that Se@Cur/Cs-FA nanoparticles effectively induce apoptosis, highlighting their potential as a promising cancer therapy.