Preparation of copper oxide nanoparticles coated with bovine serum albumin for delivery of methotrexate

In this study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were successfully prepared by a sımple chemical method. After conjugation of methotrexate (MTX) on bovine serum albumin (BSA), the surfaces of CuO NPs were functionalized with BSA-MTX for the formation of CuO@BSA-MTX NPs. The samples were characterized by ultraviolet visible (UV–vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses. It was fund that the synthesized CuO@BSA-MTX NPs show spherical shape, and exhibited a uniform morphology. Also the release study shows that the release of MTX is faster and more in the presence of proteinase K. The cytotoxicity of CuO@BSA-MTX NPs against MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells was investigated with MTT assay. The results revealed that CuO@BSA-MTX NPs show significant cytotoxicity on MDA-MB-231 cell line.