# PTX-loaded, polysorbate 80-functionalized brain-targeting pullulan nanoparticles for drug delivery

## TL;DR

Researchers developed brain-targeting nanoparticles to deliver paclitaxel, showing improved drug delivery and effectiveness against brain cancer cells.

## Contribution

The study introduces a new type of brain-targeting nanoparticle with enhanced drug delivery and cytotoxic effects against glioma cells.

## Key findings

- Polymers with higher cholesterol substitution led to smaller nanoparticles and increased drug loading for paclitaxel.
- Higher polysorbate 80 and cholesterol modification improved brain targeting efficiency in vivo.
- PTX-loaded nanoparticles showed strong cytotoxic effects against SJ-GBM2 glioma cells in vitro.

## Abstract

Brain-targeted drug delivery remains a major challenge in pharmaceutical research. In this study, four types of polysorbate 80 and cholesterol-modified pullulan polymers (CHPP) were synthesized and self-assembled into nanoparticles (CHPP NPs) for brain drug delivery. The properties of these NPs, including brain targeting efficiency, were systematically evaluated to investigate the influence of polymer modification on their performance. The hydrophobicity of the polymers increased with the degree of cholesterol substitution, which in turn led to a reduction in nanoparticle size. Furthermore, higher hydrophobicity contributed to an increased drug loading capacity for paclitaxel (PTX) and a more sustained drug release profile. In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that formulations with higher levels of polysorbate 80 and cholesterol modification exhibited significantly enhanced brain targeting efficiency compared to other variants. The PTX-loaded CHPP NPs (PTX-CHPP NPs) demonstrated potent cytotoxicity and inhibitory effects against SJ-GBM2 glioma cells in vitro, underscoring their potential as a promising platform for brain-targeted drug delivery. These findings provide valuable insights for the rational design of brain-targeting nanocarriers.