Size-dependent cellular uptake of sodium alginate passivated tin dioxide nanoparticles in triple-negative breast cancer cells

The new development of inorganic (IO) nanoparticle (NPs)-based nanomedicines in anticancer therapy is an active area of research. The cellular uptake of IO NPs plays a crucial role in their efficacy as anticancer agents. In this case, IO NPs cellular uptake depends on physical and chemical parameters, including size, shape, and surface modification of the nanoparticles. From the cellular uptake, one of the essential parameters for small size plays a critical role in the NPs' due to their ability to passively diffuse across the cell membrane or enter cells through endocytosis. In this study, the inorganic SnO₂ (tin dioxide) and SA (sodium alginate) were made into SnO₂ (SASnO₂) using a simple one-pot green method. Biomedical studies have shown that SASnO₂ NPs exhibit greater antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties than SnO₂ NPs. The prepared SnO₂ and SASnO₂ NPs were tested against breast cancer cells in anticancer studies. In cellular uptake studies, the smaller size of SASnO₂ NPs (19 nm) resulted in higher cellular uptake compared to SnO₂ NPs (38 nm). The larger surface area of these SASnO₂ NPs allows for more contact with biological membranes and internalization (cell uptake) by cancer cells, resulting in enhanced anticancer therapy when using SASnO₂ NPs.