Chitosan-Glutathione nanoparticles modify oxidative stress induced by doxorubicin in breast cancer cells

Doxorubicin is a widely used antineoplastic agent for the treatment of various types of cancer. However, it is also a highly toxic drug because it induces the generation of oxidative stress. Thus, the use of antioxidant molecules has been considered to reduce the toxicity of doxorubicin. In this report, we investigated whether the use of chitosan-glutathione (CH-GSH) nanoparticles could reduce cell damage induced by doxorubicin on breast cancer cells. CH-GSH NPs were characterized in size, Zeta potential, concentration, and shape. When breast cancer cells were treated with CH-GSH nanoparticles, these were localized in the cellular cytoplasm. Combined exposure of doxorubicin and nanoparticle increased intracellular GSH levels while decreasing reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels. The antioxidant enzyme activity was also decreased. Together our data suggest that the use of CH-GSH nanoparticles can reduce the oxidative stress induced by doxorubicin on breast cancer cells.