Dual-responsive Drug Delivery System Research Articles

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of pH and glutathione dual-responsive drug delivery system based on sodium carboxymethyl cellulose

Stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems based on sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) for drug release encounter inherent challenges. In this research, a novel pH and glutathione (GSH) dual-responsive system, CPT-S-S-NaCMC@ZIF-8/SP-PEG, was constructed. Firstly, the prodrug CPT-S-S-OH was synthesized and combined with NaCMC to form GSH-responsive micelles CPT-S-S-NaCMC, significantly enhancing the drug loading and grafting rates to 63.79 % and 91.99 %, respectively. Subsequently, zinc ions and dimethylimidazole can be assembled into porous materials (ZIF-8) on the surface of the micelles. This system exhibits dual pH-GSH responsiveness and effectively reduces the drug release from 84.76 % to 28.71 % at pH = 7.4. Moreover, incorporating pH-responsive spiropyran (SP)-modified polyethylene glycol (PEG) can reduce drug leakage to 16.09 % at pH = 7.4 and exhibit good fluorescence intensity at 722 nm.

A pH and near-infrared light dual-responsive drug delivery system based on TiO2 nanotube arrays modified with polydopamine and Fe3+

This paper reports a novel drug delivery system based on TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTs) modified with polydopamine (PDA) and Fe3+, which can load and release alendronate (NaAL), a drug for osteoporosis treatment, in a pH-responsive and near-infrared light-triggered manner. The samples were characterized by electron scanning microscopy(SEM/EDS), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR), X-ray diffraction(XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy(XPS) and Thermogravimetry(TG). The drug release behavior of the samples was investigated under different pH and light conditions. The results showed that the TNTs-PDA-Fe3+ had improved drug loading capacity compared with the TNTs and TNTs-PDA. The drug release was pH-responsive and near-infrared light-triggered, the drug release from the sample with a pH of 4.6 was much greater than the pH of 11 and 7.4, and the photothermal conversion effificiency of TNTs-PDA-Fe3+-NaAL was 32.9 %. The drug release mechanism was attributed to the coordination bond between Fe3+ and NaAL, and the photothermal effect of the PDA. The cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of the samples were evaluated by MTT assay using mouse embryonic osteoblasts cells. The results indicated that the samples had no obvious cytotoxicity and could promote the cell proliferation and differentiation. The paper concludes that the TNTs-PDA-Fe3+-NaAL system is a potential implantable drug delivery platform for bone-related diseases.

Designing Dual-Responsive Drug Delivery Systems: The Role of Phase Change Materials and Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems (DDSs) offer precise control over drug release, enhancing therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effects. This review focuses on DDSs that leverage the unique capabilities of phase change materials (PCMs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to achieve controlled drug release in response to pH and temperature changes. Specifically, this review highlights the use of a combination of lauric and stearic acids as PCMs that melt slightly above body temperature, providing a thermally responsive mechanism for drug release. Additionally, this review delves into the properties of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), a stable MOF under physiological conditions that decomposes in acidic environments, thus offering pH-sensitive drug release capabilities. The integration of these materials enables the fabrication of complex structures that encapsulate drugs within ZIF-8 or are enveloped by PCM layers, ensuring that drug release is tightly controlled by either temperature or pH levels, or both. This review provides comprehensive insights into the core design principles, material selections, and potential biomedical applications of dual-stimuli responsive DDSs, highlighting the future directions and challenges in this innovative field.

Dual-responsive Drug Delivery System based on PEG-functionalized Pillararenes Containing Disulfide and Amido Bonds for Cancer Theranostics.

The construction of smart drug delivery system based on amphiphilic pillararenes with multiple responsiveness properties has become an important way to improve the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy. Herein, a new PEG-functionalized pillararene (EtP5-SS-PEG) containing disulfide and amido bonds was designed and synthesized, which has been used to construct a novel supramolecular nanocarrier through the host-guest interaction with a perylene diimide derivative (PDI-2NH4) and their supramolecular self-assembly. This nanocarrier showed good drugloading capability, and dual stimuli-responsiveness to enzyme and GSH (glutathione). After loading Doxorubicin (DOX), the prepared nanodrugs displayed efficient DOX release and outstanding cancer theranostics ability.

Dual-responsive targeted hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles for cancer photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy

Surface modification of hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) with unique advantages are highly promising for drug delivery and have emerged for effective cancer treatment. In this study, functionalized nanoparticles for targeting and dual-responsive release of loaded doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX·HCL) and indocyanine green (ICG) (labeled as ID@HCH). In addition, chitosan (CS) was conjugated onto the HMSNs as capping agents and then dialdehyde hyaluronic acid (HDA) was modified to endow the ability to target the CD44 receptor. The characterizations demonstrated that nanocarriers have been successfully constructed with excellent drug loading capacity (DL) and drug entrapment efficiency (EE). The in vitro DOX control release displayed pH/enzyme-response properties owing to the pH-dependent swelling effect of chitosan and the HDA degraded by hyaluronidases (HAase). Moreover, the results of in vitro cell experiments proved that the ID@HCH could inhibit the cancer cells viability via accurately targeting HepG2 cells and chemotherapy combined with photodynamic therapy. This study demonstrated that ID@HCH is a new promising dual-responsive drug delivery system for chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy.

PH/thermal dual-responsive multifunctional drug delivery system for effective photoacoustic imaging-guided tumor chemo/photothermal therapy.

The development of a combination of chemo/photothermal therapy could overcome the limitations of single-modality therapy and enhance therapeutic efficacy. In this study, a pH/thermal dual-responsive multifunctional drug delivery system with dual-drug loading and enhanced chemo/photothermal therapy is developed based on polydopamine-coated mesoporous silica-gold nanorods (PDA-AuNRs@MSN). Nanoscale mesoporous silica-gold nanorods encapsulating doxorubicin (DOX) are designed as a core and then modified by polydopamine. The PDA shell not only conjugates with another anticancer bortezomib (Btz) to form pH-sensitive bond through boronic acid and catechol but also acts as a gatekeeper to control the release of doxorubicin and enhance the photothermal effect. Such a nanocarrier not only acts as a contrast agent for PA imaging but also serves as a therapeutic agent for enhanced chemo/photothermal therapy. The DOX and Btz could be released in an on-demand mode under near-infrared light irradiation and acid environment. The tumor size and location could be observed via PA imaging after intravenous injection into 4T1-bearing mice. Compared with AuNRs@MSN, PDA-AuNRs@MSN exhibit an increased near-infrared (NIR) absorption at 808 nm and an enhanced photothermal effect. The integrated D/B-PDA-AuNRs@MSN nanoparticles show higher cell apoptosis and enhanced tumor treatment efficacy in vitro and in vivo in comparison with single chemotherapy or photothermal therapy. Combined together, D/B-PDA-AuNRs@MSN show pH/thermal-responsive controlled-release and synergistic chemo/photothermal therapy for tumor.

PH/hyaluronidase dual responsive nano drug delivery systems for photothermal/chemotherapy combined treatment for non-small cell lung cancer

A biocompatible multifunctional nanocrystalline drug carrier system (RCDs-HA@AZD) with dual stimulation of pH and hyaluronidase has been developed for chemotherapy/photothermal combination therapy of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PH/Redox Dual-Responsive Drug Delivery System with on-Demand RGD Exposure for Photochemotherapy of Tumors.

Nanotechnology has been widely used in antitumor research. The complex physiological environment has brought significant challenges to the field of antitumor micelles. The ideal micelles must not only have an invisible surface to extend the circulation time but must also enhance the retention of drugs and cellular internalization at the tumor. A graded response micelle (RPPssD@IR780/DOC) was designed to self-assemble by cRGD-poly(β-amino esters)-polyethylene glycol-ss-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (cRGD-PBAE-PEG-ss-DSPE) loaded with docetaxel (DOC) and IR-780 iodide (IR780). The micelles were designed to allow the PEG shell to prolong the blood circulation time in the body and effectively accumulate in the tumor. Subsequently, the acidic microenvironment of the tumor could transform the PBAE to hydrophilic, thereby increasing the size of micelles and exposing cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp (cRGD) peptides to increase the retention and cellular internalization of micelles in the tumor. After tumor cells had captured micelles, the high expression of glutathione in the cells prompted the release of DOC and IR780. Subsequently, the IR780 was stimulated by an 808-nm laser to generate local heat and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to synergize with DOC to treat the tumor. In vitro and in vivo experimental results suggested that RPPssD@IR780/DOC was a potential photochemical effective for the treatment of tumors with non-negligible antitumor activity and good biocompatibility. A dual-response pH/redox delivery system with on-demand RGD exposure was designed to achieve photochemotherapy of tumors with good biosafety and antitumor effects.

Dual responsive block copolymer coated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles for glucose-mediated transcutaneous drug delivery

A self-regulated anti-diabetic drug release device mimicking pancreatic cells is highly desirable for the therapy of diabetes. Herein, a glucose-mediated dual-responsive drug delivery system, which combines pH- and H 2 O 2 -responsive block copolymer grafted hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) with microneedle (MN) array patch, has been developed to achieve self-regulated administration. The poly[4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl acrylate]- b -poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PPBEM- b -PDM) polymer serves as gate keeper to prevent drug release from the cavity of HMSNs at normoglycemic level. In contrast, the drug release rate is significantly enhanced upon H 2 O 2 and pH stimuli due to the chemical change of H 2 O 2 sensitive PPBEM block and acid responsive PDM block. Therefore, incorporation of anti-diabetic drug and glucose oxidase (GOx, which can oxidize glucose to gluconic acid and in-situ produce H 2 O 2 ) into stimulus polymer coated HMSNs results in a glucose-mediated MN device after depositing the drug-loaded nanoparticles into MN array patch. Both in vitro and in vivo results show this MN device presents a glucose mediated self-regulated drug release characteristic, which possesses a rapid drug release at hyperglycemic level but retarded drug release at normoglycemic level. The result indicates that the fabricated smart drug delivery system is a good candidate for the therapy of diabetes.

Combined and Single Doxorubicin/Naproxen Drug Loading and Dual-Responsive pH/Ultrasound Release from Flexible Metal-Organic Framework Nanocarriers

In this study, the flexible aluminum-based MIL-53(Al) metal-organic framework was loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and naproxen (NAP) and was examined as a promising pH/ultrasound dual-responsive drug delivery system. The two drugs were encapsulated in MIL-53(Al) individually to produce the DOX@MIL-53(Al) and NAP@MIL-53(Al) nanocarriers. They were also encapsulated as a dual-drug formulation to produce the DOX* + NAP*@MIL-53(Al) nanocarrier. The MOF nanoparticles were characterized using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) techniques. In the case of the DOX@MIL, the nanocarriers’ drug Encapsulation Efficiency (EE) and Encapsulation Capacity (EC) were 92% and 16 wt.%, respectively, whereas, in the case of NAP@MIL-53(Al), the average NAP EE and EC were around 97.7% and 8.5 wt.%, respectively. On the other hand, in the DOX* + NAP*@MIL-53(Al) nanoparticles, the average DOX* EE and EC were 38.9% and 6.22 wt.%, respectively, while for NAP*, the average EE and EC were 70.2% and 4.49 wt.%, respectively. In vitro release experiments demonstrated the good pH and Ultrasound (US) dual-responsiveness of these nanocarriers, with a maximum US-triggered DOX and NAP release, at a pH level of 7.4, of approximately 53% and 95%, respectively. In comparison, the measured release was around 90% and 36% at pH 5.3 for DOX and NAP, respectively. In the case of the dualdrug formulation, the nanocarrier displayed similar pH/US dual-responsive behavior. Finally, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) results confirmed the biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity of MIL-53(Al) at concentrations up to 1000 μg/ml.

A dual-responsive hyaluronic acid nanocomposite hydrogel drug delivery system for overcoming multiple drug resistance

Chemotherapy is restricted by efficient drug outflow due to the multiple drug resistance (MDR) in heterogenous nature of tumor. Herein, we present a dual-responsive hyaluronic acid (HA) nanocomposite hydrogel that can not only response to the tumor microenvironment but also enhance chemotherapy. This HA hydrogel consists of a core-shell SiO2 (GOD@SiO2-Arg) and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with doxorubicin (DOX) as the cargo (DOX@MSN). It could rapidly release the GOD@SiO2-Arg nanoparticles at the low pH tumor-specific environment due to the cleavage of imine bond. GOD@SiO2-Arg activated by over-expressed glutathione (GSH) in tumor cells releases GOD due to the cleavage of disulfide bonds, which could oxidize glucose to produce hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for in situ NO generation via reaction between Arg and H2O2. The validity of this study might provide a method to modulate the tumor microenvironment for enhancing chemotherapy.

Preparation of MSNs@Keratin as pH/GSH dual responsive drug delivery system

Designing a drug delivery system that is responsive in a tumor microenvironment is important to potentiate the efficacy and reduce the side effects of antitumor drugs. In this study, the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were aminated with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) and then coupled with keratin, as a gatekeeper, to afford MSNs-NH2@Keratin. The average sizes and morphologies of MSNs and MSNs-NH2@Keratin were characterized with dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The loading content and encapsulation efficiency of doxorubicin (DOX) were calculated to be 17.1 ± 1.7% and 71.3 ± 2.1%. Drug-loaded MSNs-NH2@Keratin exhibited pH and glutathione (GSH) dual responsiveness under tumor microenvironment. The nanoparticles could be uptaken by tumor cells to effectively inhibit tumor cell growth. Moreover, the sizes of nanoparticle were stable in the serum. Collectively, our findings demonstrated the potential of DOX-loaded MSNs-NH2@Keratin in the treatment of cancer.

PH- and H2O2-sensitive drug delivery system based on sodium xanthate: Dual-responsive supramolecular vesicles from one functional group

Nano-drug delivery systems with multiple stimulus-responsive capabilities have superior response performance and efficient drug release. Nevertheless, it is sophisticated to construct multiple stimulus-responsive systems where the two or more functional groups need to be introduced simultaneously. Xanthate, one functional group with pH and H2O2 stimulus responsiveness, has significant potential applications for building dual-responsive drug delivery system. Herein, we present a novel dual stimuli-responsive supramolecular drug delivery system by using sodium xanthate derivative (SXD) as guest molecule and quaternary ammonium capped pillar[5]arene (QAP5) as host molecule through host-guest interaction on the basis of electrostatic interaction. The amphiphile QAP5⊃SXD could self-assemble into vesicles to efficiently load the anti-cancer drug DOX. The experimental results showed that QAP5⊃SXD nanoparticles could achieve efficient drug delivery and controlled release in the tumor microenvironment. Cytotoxicity experiments proved that DOX@QAP5⊃SXD nanoparticles could significantly improve the anticancer efficiency of free DOX on cancer cells. The present study provides an efficient strategy to develop supramolecular nanocarriers with dual-responsiveness in one functional group for controlled drug release.

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

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.

A dual-responsive drug delivery system based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles covered with zipper-type peptide for intracellular transport/release

The key problem of applying mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in drug delivery system DDS is how to block and open the porous channel controllably. In this paper, a thermo/redox dual responsive drug carrier based on MSNs has been prepared through grafting a zipper-type peptide onto MSNs surface using disulfide bond. The peptide, who has specific melting temperature Tm(43.4 °C), acts as a nanovalve for porous channel to block the drug in MSNs. When temperature increases above Tm, the α-helix structure of the peptide could turn to linear state and the nanovalve would be opened for drug release. Meanwhile, disulfide bonds between peptide and MSNs can respond to the stimulation of glutathione. The drug release experiments under different conditions were performed to prove the controllability of drug release by stimulations. And cell experiments have also been done to verify that the nanocarriers had good cytocompatibility and cell recognition. Experiments show that the drug loaded in this carrier is only released inside the tumor cells. The constructed peptide-valved MSNs might provide a special strategy for promising application of MSNs in DDS.

PH and ultrasound dual-responsive drug delivery system based on PEG–folate-functionalized Iron-based metal–organic framework for targeted doxorubicin delivery

In recent years, the use of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as drug nanocarriers has gained attention because of their extraordinary physical and chemical properties. In this work, dual-responsive iron-based MOFs were synthesized via the microwave-assisted method using FeCl 3 .6 (H 2 O) as the metal cluster and 2-aminoterephthalic acid (NH 2 -BDC) as the organic linker (namely NH 2 -Fe-BDC) and loaded with the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). The DOX-loaded MOFs were further functionalized with polyethylene glycol-folate (PEG–FA), yielding PEG–FA-NH 2 -Fe-BDC. The folate moiety is used to specifically target several cancers overexpressing the folate receptor (FR). These nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The FTIR confirmed the PEG–FA conjugation to the MOFs, while the XRD patterns confirmed the crystallinity of the nanoparticles. TGA results demonstrated the thermal stability of the MOFs. Moreover, the DLS analysis showed that regular MOFs had a particle diameter of 577 nm, while the PEG–FA-functionalized MOF had a particle diameter of 461 nm, which demonstrates the improved colloidal stability of the functionalized MOF. The DOX encapsulation efficiency was determined to be approximately 97%, while the encapsulation capacity was around 14.5 wt%. Furthermore, the in-vitro release profiles were studied under different pH values (5.3 and 7.4) with and without low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS, at 40 kHz). The results confirmed the sonosensitivity of the nanovehicles, with US-triggered release efficiency reaching up to 90% after 280 min (at a pH of 5.3). The MTT study revealed that these nanocarriers are non-toxic at lower concentrations. Their toxicity increases at higher concentrations. Furthermore, the cellular uptake was investigated via flow cytometry, and the results showed that the conjugation of the PEG-FA moiety to the MOF’s surface significantly enhanced uptake by cancer cells. Accordingly, this study showed the pH/US dual-responsive capability of NH 2 -Fe-BDC and PEG–FA-NH 2 -Fe-BDC.

Anisamide-modified dual-responsive drug delivery system with MRI capacity for cancer targeting therapy

The targeting dual-responsive intelligent drug delivery system has been employed for cancer treatment as a positive strategy. Herein, we synthesized anisamide-modified molecule (10,10-NB-S-S-P-AA) and non-modified molecule (10,10-NB-S-S-P-OMe). The two molecules possessed UV/reduction dual-responsive property and biocompatibility. Targeted empty liposomes (GNSPA) or non-targeted empty liposomes (GNSPA) with UV/reduction dual responsiveness and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performance were prepared by mixing functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent (12,12-NB-DTPA-Gd) and 10,10-NB-S-S-P-AA or 10,10-NB-S-S-P-OMe. By studying drug encapsulation efficiency (DEE), MRI performance, and targeting activity of GNSPA liposomes with different ratios, 3:1 was determined as the optimum appropriate ratio. Empty and DOX (doxorubicin hydrochloride)-loaded liposomes were stable within 14 days, and exhibited a good UV/reduction dual-responsiveness. The cumulative drug release rate of GNSPAD reached up to 86.3% under the treatment of UV light and reducing agent (TCEP). Compared with non-targeted DOX-loaded liposomes (GNSPMD), GNSPAD accurately accumulated in cancer cells in vitro. The treatment of GNSPAD + UV showed a better anticancer effect and inhibition of cancer cell growth in vitro. These findings suggest that the anisamide-modified dual-responsive liposomes with MRI capacity can provide a powerful tool for cancer targeting therapy.

Construction and Anti-tumor Effect Evaluation of a Dual-Responsive Hyaluronic Acid Carbon Quantum Dot-Gelatin Nano-Drug Delivery System

To construct a pH and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) dual-responsive nano drug delivery system with adjustable particle size so as to synergistically enhance the retention and penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs in tumor tissues and improve tumor treatment effect. Hyaluronic acid (HA) carbon quantum dots (CD) coupled with gelatin nanoparticle (GNP) were constructed, and were connected with doxorubicin (DOX), a chemotherapeutic drug, through pH-sensitive imine to produce GNP@HA-CD-DOX nanoparticles. The changes of particle size, drug release behavior, hemocompatibility, cell uptake and deep penetration of tumor spheroids, in vivo tumor targeting and therapeutic effect were analyzed. GNP@HA-CD-DOX nanoparticles had a particle size of (162.93±2.55) nm, which could be degraded to release HA-CD-DOX with a particle size of about 40 nm under the treatment of MMP. The drug loading of DOX was (4.94±0.22)%. DOX was released in the tumor microenvironment and lysosomes in response to the low pH. No obvious hemolysis was observed in GNP@HA-CD-DOX. GNP@HA-CD-DOX showed a reduction in particle size after co-incubation with MMP-2. The MMP-sensitive GNP@HA-CD-DOX had significantly improved cell uptake and better deep penetration in tumor spheres. GNP@HA-CD-DOX displayed better distribution in tumor and anti-tumor ability in tumor-bearing mice compared with the small particle size HA-CD-DOX group. In addition, it has better safety. The pH and MMP dual-sensitive nano-tech drug delivery system with adjustable particle sizes synergistically enhances the retention and deep penetration of drugs in tumors as well as the anti-tumor effect, suggesting new approaches to tumor treatment.

An MRI-guided targeting dual-responsive drug delivery system for liver cancer therapy

The targeting dual-responsive drug delivery system was employed for cancer treatment as a positive strategy. Herein, Lactobionic acid (LA)-modified and non-modified UV/reduction dual-responsive molecules (10,10-NB-S-S-P-LA and 10,10-NB-S-S-P-OMe) were synthesized. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent (12,12-NB-DTPA-Gd) was mixed with 10,10-NB-S-S-P-LA or 10,10-NB-S-S-P-OMe in the optimal ratio (3:1) to develop targeted empty liposomes (GNSPL) or non-targeted empty liposomes (GNSPM) with superior UV/reduction dual-responsiveness, biocompatibility and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performance. The drug-loaded liposomes (GNSPLD and GNSPMD) can keep stable in two weeks, and the drug cumulative release rate reached to the maximum under dual stimulation of ultraviolet (UV) and reducing agent (TCEP). The treatment with GNSPLD + UV significantly inhibited the growth and migration of cancer cells in vitro. The GNSPLD liposomes were more effectively accumulated in tumor site than GNSPMD liposomes, due to the targeting property of GNSPLD liposomes. The treatment with GNSPLD + UV showed a better therapeutic efficacy than Doxorubicin (DOX) in vivo, and almost no side effects during the treatment period. Thus, the MRI-guided targeting dual-responsive drug delivery system provided a reliable therapeutic strategy for treating liver cancer.

Direct surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles by DBD plasma as a green approach to prepare dual-responsive drug delivery system

This paper deals with uniformly surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles by applying dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma as an energy-efficient and green approach. First, the mesoporous silica nanoparticles were synthesized from rice husk (RMSN-D) as an economic and biocompatible natural source. The surface modification stage by DBD plasma was performed in two methods: i) Direct mode and ii) Direct hybrid mode. The structure and physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, Fe-SEM/EDS, TEM, EDS, BET, and HNMR techniques. Doxorubicin (Dox) was exploited as a model drug, and in-vitro Dox release was investigated. The biocompatibility of nanocarriers was accepted by MTT test on HFF-2 cell line as a normal modal cell. For the advanced cellular study, apoptosis of the MCF-7 cell line treated with Dox-loaded nanocarriers was investigated by flow cytometric analysis and morphological study by fluorescent microscopy. The results showed that Dox-loaded RMSN-D modified by direct hybrid mode induced a high level of apoptosis in the MCF-7 cells.