Doxorubicin-loaded fucoidan capped gold nanoparticles for drug delivery and photoacoustic imaging

•Polymer nanoparticles are considered an excellent candidate for biomedical fields.•Biocompatible AuNPs were synthesized by using a naturally occurring fucoidan.•Fucoidan as a capping and reducing agent.•Multifunctional DOX-Fu AuNPs can provide great contributions to human health soon.

Polymer nanoparticles are emerging as a useful tool for a wide variety of biomedical and therapeutic applications. The present study demonstrates the multifunctional doxorubicin-loaded fucoidan capped gold nanoparticles (DOX-Fu AuNPs) for drug delivery and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). Biocompatible AuNPs were synthesized using a naturally occurring fucoidan (Fu) as a capping and reducing agent. The Fu AuNPs synthesis was determined using UV–visible spectrum, and it was further characterized using high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The release of DOX from DOX-Fu AuNPs was greater in acidic pH (4.5) than in neutral pH (7.4). The in vitro cytotoxic effect of fucoidan, Fu AuNPs, DOX, and DOX-Fu AuNPs inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer cells with an inhibitory concentration of 35 μg/mL, 30 μg/mL, 15 μg/mL, and 5 μg/mL at 24 h. DOX-Fu AuNPs induced both early and late apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner compared with untreated control cells. The ability of DOX-Fu AuNPs as a contrast agent for in vitro breast cancer imaging with PAI has been evaluated. These results suggest that the multifunctional DOX-Fu AuNPs for drug delivery and PAI can soon provide considerable contribution to human health.

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