Process Biochemistry, Vol.102, 165-172, 2021
pH-sensitive release of fungal metabolites from chitosan nanoparticles for effective cytotoxicity in prostate cancer (PC3) cells
Trichoderma species are known to produce the molecules with promising anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities. Likewise, we previously reported a metabolite (TM2) from T. atroviride as an anti-prostate cancer agent but its activity was limited due to less ability to target the cancer cells. Therefore, the present work aimed to load the different concentrations of TM2 (1.25-20 mg.mL(-1)) in chitosan nanoparticles (TM2-CNPs) to improve its cytotoxicity in PC3 cells. The input of 10 mg.mL(-1) of TM2 was achived spherical shaped TM2-CNPs with good drug entrapment efficiency of 50.97 +/- 0.12% and drug loading capacity of 24.68 +/- 0.64%. The TM2-CNPs exhibited an average size of 187.8 +/- 1.51 nm, PDI of 0.197 +/- 0.02, and zeta potential of 21.4 +/- 0.17 mV. The FTIR spectra showed the functional group (NH2 and O H) of chitosan in TM2-CNPs. The pH-dependent release was found 50% in the pH 5.8 while < 10% in pH 7.4. The IC50 dosage of TM2-CNPs treatment was caused 60.48% cell death in the PC3 cells through activation of caspase 3 and inhibition of the BCL-2 expression. Overall, this work has demonstrated that the pH-sensitive release of TM2 from nanocarrier (CNPs) increased anti prostate cancer activity.