Enhanced cytotoxicity of cisplatin-loaded Brij S100-alginate-taurine nanogels against HeLa cervical cancer cells

Abstract Water-insoluble anti-cancer drug delivery systems play a vital role in enhancing the effectiveness, stability, and selectivity of chemotherapeutic agents. By improving these properties, such systems offer better clinical outcomes, reduced systemic toxicity, and expanded therapeutic options, particularly for cancers that exhibit resistance to conventional treatments. In this context, nanogel-based delivery platforms constructed from Brij S100 grafted with alginate have demonstrated considerable promise. Two formulations were studied: Brij–Alg and Brij–Alg–Tau, the latter featuring surface modification of Brij–Alg nanogel particles with taurine molecules. These nanogels were used to encapsulate the anti-cancer drug cisplatin. The resulting drug-loaded nanogels exhibited desirable physicochemical characteristics, including optimal particle size, morphology, surface charge, and controlled drug release profiles suitable for targeted drug delivery applications. Importantly, both Brij–Alg and Brij–Alg-Tau nanogels displayed excellent biocompatibility, with minimal cytotoxicity toward fibroblast cells, indicating their safety for biological use. Cytotoxicity assay against the HeLa cervical cancer cell line revealed that Brij–Alg–Tau/CIS nanogels induced significantly greater cell death than both free CIS and Brij–Alg/CIS nanogels. The enhanced cytotoxicity is attributed to improved cellular uptake and sustained drug release enabled by the taurine-functionalized nanogel structure. These findings suggest that Brij–Alg–Tau nanogels are a promising vehicle for CIS delivery and hold strong potential for advancing cervical cancer therapy.