ZnO QD covalently coated, GSH/pH dual-responsive drug delivery system for chemotherapeutic/ionic synergistic therapy

Abstract

Chemotherapeutical agents have been frequently reported to have adverse side effects which reduce their application in clinic. Herein, we reported a mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs)-based drug delivery system (DDS) capped with zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QD) which has glutathione (GSH)/pH dual-responsive controlled release in the cancer cells. The drug loaded DDS have higher cellular inhibition than the free drug because of the synergistic effect of payload DNM and the Zn2+ dissolved from ZnO QD. The anti-cancer mechanism research indicates that the designed drug loaded DDS can cause mitochondrial damage, arrest the cell cycle and induce the cell apoptosis and autophagy. The combination of excellent biocompatibility, selective release performance, synergistic cellular cytotoxicity, endowed the DDS with the potential of utilization in cancer treatment.