The effect of polyethylene glycol spacer chain length on the tumor-targeting potential of folate-modified PPI dendrimers

The objective of the present investigation was to assess the tumor-targeting potential of ligand-spacer-engineered poly (propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimers as nanoscale drug delivery units for site-specific delivery of a model anticancer agent, docetaxel (DTX). PPI dendrimers were engineered by direct and indirect conjugation of folic acid (FA) via different types of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) [Mw (molecular weight): 1,000, 4,000, 6,000, 7,500] as spacers. The synthesized nanoconjugates (PPIFA, PPIP1FA, PPIP4FA, PPIP6FA, and PPIP7.5FA) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. Nanoconjugates were evaluated for entrapment, in vitro drug release (under various pH conditions) and hemolytic studies. Cell uptake and cytotoxicity studies were performed on human malignant cell lines (MCF-7) using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide [MTT] assay. This debut study explored the effect of PEG spacer length on the targeting potential of folate-conjugated 5.0 G PPI dendrimer. DTX entrapment and in vitro drug release from nanoconjugates augmented, and hemolytic toxicity of nanoconjugates slashed with the molecular weight of PEGs. Further, nanoconjugates with PEG 4000 displayed highest tumor-targeting potential as compared to other spacer conjugated nanoconjugates due to optimized steric hindrance and receptor mediated endocytosis among other PEGs. This work is expected to shed new light on the role of spacer chain length in targeting potential of folate-anchored dendrimer.Graphical Abstract