Synthesis and Characterization of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Delivery of Anticancer Drugs

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are a promising drug delivery system due to their unique morphology, tunable particle size (50–300 nm), controlled pore size, high surface area, and biocompatibility. The use of MSN as carriers can improve the effectiveness of anticancer drugs by targeted delivery to the tumor, controlled release, and reduced side effects. Currently, the possibility of delivery of such classes of anticancer drugs as cytostatics, photosensitizers, and radiopharmaceuticals using MSN is being actively studied.

The aim of this work is to synthesize and evaluate the morphology of MSN.

The research objectives were to obtain mesoporous nanoparticles, to estimate their size, to measure the specific surface area of the particles, to analyze the adsorption capacity of the particles, the efficiency of encapsulation, and the release kinetics of the drug.

MSN were synthesized by the modified Stober method, in which tetraethoxysilane is the source of silicon, and the nanoparticles are obtained by using the CTAB surfactant. The particle size analysis was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, and the specific surface area of the particles was also estimated by the BET method. The loading and release kinetics of doxorubicin from MSN were studied spectrophotometrically using a Varioscаn LUX multifunction plate reader daily for 20 days. Doxorubicin fluorescence was measured at an excitation wavelength of 470 nm and an emission wavelength of 590 nm. The release kinetics of doxorubicin were studied at room temperature in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) with pH 7.4.

As a result, the average particle size of MSN was 100 nm, and the pore diameter was 3 nm. The specific surface area of MSN was 644 m2/g. Doxorubicin loading was carried out by adsorption from a solution with a concentration of 2 μg/ml. The doxorubicin loading efficiency was 19,13%