Anticancer Activity of a New Chalcone Derivative-Loaded Polymeric Micelle

Chalcones are hydrophobic polyphenols with extremely poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we prepared a new chalcone derivative-loaded nanoparticle (DPP-23-loaded NP) using a monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide) copolymer which, in an aqueous environment, spontaneously forms a micellar formation with an average particle size of 20.8 nm. Exposure to various concentrations of DPP-23-loaded NP significantly diminished the cell viability of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Our data show that DPP-23-loaded NP is a reliable drug delivery system, as observed by the fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) intensity accumulation in MDA-MB-231 cells.