Engineering of pectin-capped gold nanoparticles for delivery of doxorubicin to hepatocarcinoma cells: an insight into mechanism of cellular uptake

In this study, we have reported the fabrication and evaluation of pectin-capped gold nanoparticles (PEC-AuNPs) for delivery of anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX) to cells overexpressing asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR). Pectin was used as a reducing, stabilizing and targeting agent. The pectin-capped gold nanoparticles demonstrated surface plasmon resonance band at 519 nm. The PEC-AuNPs were spherical in shape with a particle size of 14 nm and zeta potential value of -33 mV and were biocompatible and non-cytotoxic. The PEC-AuNPs exhibited a high drug loading efficiency of 78%. The DOX-loaded gold nanoparticles (DOX-PEC-AuNPs) showed excellent stability under varying pH and electrolytic conditions. The cytotoxicity study of the DOX-PEC-AuNPs in human Caucasian hepatocyte cells demonstrated their greater potency in killing these cells as compared to free DOX. The uptake and targeting potential of DOX-PEC-AuNPs was thoroughly investigated. Further, it was found that the PEC-AuNPs were taken up by HepG2 cells via a clathrin-dependent receptor-mediated endocytosis by asialoglycoprotein receptor present of the surface of these cells. Thus, the PEC-capped AuNPs can prove a promising carrier for anticancer drug in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.