Folic Acid Targeted Selenium–Curcumin Nanoparticles to Enhance Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells

ABSTRACT Despite advancements in drug delivery, breast cancer remains a leading cause of mortality, and creating therapeutic systems that balance efficacy and safety remains a challenge. Selenium (Se) and curcumin (Cur) exhibit antioxidant and anticancer properties, but their efficient application in cancer therapy is complex. This study developed a targeted drug delivery system for 4T1 breast cancer cells using selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) loaded with curcumin and coated with chitosan‐folic acid (Cs‐FA) to enhance targeting efficiency. The incorporation of Cs‐FA and Cur increased nanoparticle size from 105 to 184.2 nm and reduced 4T1 cell viability by 40% at a concentration of 40 µg/mL. The Cs‐FA coating significantly enhanced apoptosis, as evidenced by upregulated p53 and downregulated BCL2 gene expression compared to other formulations. These results suggest that Se@Cur/Cs‐FA nanoparticles effectively induce apoptosis, highlighting their potential as a promising cancer therapy.