Honors Theses

Date of Award

Spring 5-6-2026

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

First Advisor

Eden Tanner

Second Advisor

Safo Aboaku

Third Advisor

Sally Earl

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most challenging subtype of breast cancer due to its lack of hormone receptor expression and limited targeted treatment options. Doxorubicin (DOX) is the effective standard on the market, but associated with significant cardiotoxicity. This study explores the development of DOX-based ionic liquids (DOX-ILs) through pairing DOX with the metabolically active anions, dichloroacetate (DCA) and 3-bromopyruvate (3BP), as a strategy to modify physicochemical properties and enhance cytotoxicity. DOX-ILs were synthesized via ion pairing and characterized using ¹H NMR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and FTIR spectroscopy to confirm structural integrity and successful ionic interaction. Spectroscopic analysis demonstrated preservation of DOX alongside evidence of ionic pairing. Cytotoxicity studies in 4T1 breast cancer cells over 24 hours showed no significant difference between free DOX and DOX-ILs, suggesting that short-term activity is primarily driven by DOX. To evaluate delivery potential, DOX-ILs were encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles. Nanoparticle characterization revealed improved size uniformity and increased magnitude of zeta potential for DOX-IL formulations, particularly DOX–3BP, indicating enhanced colloidal stability. These results demonstrate that DOX-ILs can be successfully synthesized and incorporated into nanoparticle systems without compromising structural integrity or short-term biological activity. This work establishes a foundation for further investigation into long-term cytotoxic effects, intracellular delivery mechanisms, and the role of metabolic anions in combination cancer therapy.

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