Low-viscosity sodium alginate combined with TiO2 nanoparticles for improving neuroblastoma treatment.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles have been explored to prevent various cancer developments but it may cause oxidation, inflammation and high cytotoxicity. Alginate has nontoxic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. We aimed to explore the effects of alginate-TiO2 temozolomide (TMZ) nanoparticles on neuroblastoma. A neuroblastoma model was established with neuroblastoma cells and alginate-TiO2 TMZ nanoparticles were made by spraying low-viscosity sodium alginate (250-360 kDa). The morphology of nanoparticles was observed via scanning electron microscope (SEM). The crystallinity values were analyzed via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic study. Neuroblastoma mice were treated with saline solution, TMZ, TiO2-TMZ and alginate-TiO2-TMZ nanoparticles. Anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties and the mouse survival rates were measured. The spectrometric profiles of alginate-TiO2 were consistent with those of TiO2 and alginate. Alginate-TiO2 TMZ nanoparticles had higher cytotoxicity toward neuroblastoma cells and less inhibitory activity toward normal neuronal cells. The combined nanoparticles increased antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities and prolonged the survival time of the neuroblastoma model (P < 0.05). On the other hand, Alginate-TiO2 TMZ nanoparticles reduced the levels of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). The combined nanoparticles improved neuroblastoma treatment by affecting NF-κB and MAPK signals.