Multi-stimuli Responsive Drug Research Articles

Mesostructured TiO2 Gated Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica-Based Nanotablets for Multistimuli-responsive Drug Release.

A multistimuli-responsive drug carrier is designed and successfully synthesized by self-assembly of thiol-modified periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticles, coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and mesostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2). Dye-loaded PMO-Au@TiO2 nanotablets are shown to respond to environmental changes (pH, temperature, and light) to achieve controlled release.

A multi-stimuli responsive gold nanocage–hyaluronic platform for targeted photothermal and chemotherapy

Noninvasive and pinpointed intracellular drug release that responds to multiple stimulus is still a formidable challenge for cancer therapy. Herein, we reported a multi-stimuli responsive platform based on drug loaded gold nanocages @ hyaluronic acid (AuNCs-HA) for pinpointed intracellular drug release. These well-prepared nanohybrids could specifically recognize cancer cells via HA-CD44 interactions and be efficiently endocytosed by receptor-mediated process. Subsequently, the coated HA molecules could be degraded in lysosomes, resulting in the release of encapsulated drug. In addition, by taking advantage of the excellent photothermal properties, the AuNCs could accelerate the release of encapsulated drug and induce a higher therapeutic efficacy upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. In vitro results confirmed that the encapsulated drug could only be pinpointedly released in intracellular environments, which permitted high therapeutic efficacy against cancer cells and minimized the side effects. Importantly, as compared to that of the two therapies independently, a complete inhibition of tumor growth treated with the combination of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy was observed in vivo. Taken together, our present study provides new insights into developing pinpointed, multi-stimuli responsive intracellular drug release systems for synergistic cancer therapy.

Folic acid-conjugated pH/temperature/redox multi-stimuli responsive polymer microspheres for delivery of anti-cancer drug

The folic acid (FA)-conjugated pH/temperature/redox multi-stimuli responsive poly(methacrylic acid-co-N,N-bis(acryloyl)cystamine/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-glycidyl methacrylate-co-N,N-bis(acryloyl)cystamine) microspheres were prepared by a two-stage distillation–precipitation polymerization with subsequent surface modification with FA. The microspheres were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, dynamical light scattering, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, UV–vis spectra and elemental analysis. The degradation of the functional microspheres could be triggered by a reductive reagent, such as glutathione, due to presence of BAC crosslinker. The drug-loaded microspheres exhibited a pH/temperature/redox multi-stimuli responsive drug release character for doxorubicin hydrochloride as a model anti-cancer drug, which was efficiently loaded into the microspheres with a high loading capacity of 208.0% and an encapsulation efficiency of 85.4%. In vitro drug delivery study indicated that the FA-conjugated microspheres could deliver Dox into MCF-7 cells more efficiently than the microspheres without functionalization of FA. Furthermore, WST-1 assay showed that the microspheres had no obvious toxicity to MCF-7 cells even at a high concentration of 2000μgmL−1. The resultant microsphere may be a promising vector for delivery of anti-cancer drugs as it exhibits a low cytotoxicity and degradability, precise molecular targeting property and multi-stimuli responsively controlled drug release.