ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) nanoparticles stabilised with poloxamer 188: particle size control and cytotoxic effects in cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells

Georgi Yordanov, Ralica Skrobanska, and Milena Petkova

Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 1 James Bourchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria

E-mail: g.g.yordanov@gmail.com

Abstract: In this study, the preparation of poloxamer 188-coated poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) colloidal nanospheres of controlled size distribution and their physicochemical characterisation were investigated and their cytotoxic effects in cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells evaluated. The nanoparticles were prepared by controlled emulsion polymerisation of butyl cyanoacrylate in an aqueous medium containing poloxamer 188 as an amphiphilic non-ionic colloidal stabiliser. The colloids thus obtained were characterised by scanning electron microscopy, dynamic and electrophoretic light-scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The average size of the particles could be finely controlled within an interval between 220 nm and 290 nm by varying the concentration of the precursor and citric acid in the polymerisation medium. The particle zeta-potentials in phosphate-buffered saline were approximately -4.5 mV. FTIR and NMR data confirmed the expected composition of nanoparticles and the complete precursor polymerisation. In-vitro studies with cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells demonstrated the dose-dependent cytotoxicity of nanoparticles (IC50 ≈ 30 μg mL^-1). Observations by phase contrast and fluorescence microscopy revealed that at cytotoxic concentrations (40 μg mL^-1) nanoparticles induced changes in cell morphology and chromatin fragmentation. The colloidal stabiliser (poloxamer 188) alone was not cytotoxic at the applied concentrations.

Keywords: nanoparticles – poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) – HeLa – cytotoxicity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1515/chempap-2015-0220

Chemical Papers 70 (3) 365–374 (2016)