Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42122682›Full record

ArticlePolymers2026

Lactoferrin-Decorated PLGA Nanoparticles for Targeted Tamoxifen Repurposing in Glioblastoma Cells.

Daniela Maria Sousa, Maria João Ramalho, Stéphanie Andrade, Joana Angélica Loureiro, Jorge Lima, Maria Carmo Pereira

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Polymers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Daniela Maria SousaLEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Maria João RamalhoLEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-2428-7520
Stéphanie AndradeLEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0001-6918-8775
Joana Angélica LoureiroLEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-9841-3967
Jorge Limai3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, University of Porto, R. Alfredo Allen, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal.
Maria Carmo PereiraLEPABE-Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, ALiCE-Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0001-8505-3432

Funding

Foundation for Science and Technology LA/P/0045/2020Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia 2024.08319.CEECINDFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia CEEC-iND/01741/2021Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia M-ERA-NET3/0001/2021 and 10.54499/M-ERA-703 NET3/0001/2021Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia UIDB/00511/2020Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia UIDP/00511/2020
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Glioblastoma (GB) classical treatment with the alkylating drug temozolomide (TMZ) is not effective mainly due to chemoresistance mechanisms, particularly those mediated by O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). In this context, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were developed to deliver tamoxifen (TAX), a clinically approved non-alkylating drug with reported anti-GB activity. The NP formulation was optimized using a factorial design and subsequently functionalized with lactoferrin (Lf) to enhance GB targeting. The Lf-conjugated optimized formulation exhibited a mean diameter of 193 ± 6 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.11 ± 0.04, a zeta potential of -18.2 ± 6.8 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 68.6 ± 1.8%. The NPs exhibited a sustained release profile for up to 23 days, and remained stable under physiological conditions. Cell uptake studies, conducted in human GB cells (U87, U251, and T98G) and healthy astrocytes, demonstrated enhanced internalization of Lf-NPs in GB cells compared with non-conjugated NPs, suggesting uptake through Lf-binding site-mediated endocytosis. Cytotoxicity assays further indicated that Lf-conjugation improved the antiproliferative efficacy of TAX-loaded NPs relative to non-functionalized formulations, particularly in GB cells. Moreover, combination studies with TMZ showed that the developed NPs were able to sensitize GB cells to treatment with this alkylating agent. In sum, this work supports the potential of the developed Lf-decorated TAX-loaded PLGA NPs as a nanoplatform for targeted delivery against GB.

Indexed as

brain deliverybrain tumordrug resistanceMGMT-mediated resistancenanomedicinenon-alkylating drug

Identifiers

PMID42122682
PMCPMC13165678

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.