Differently sized drug-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles elicit differential gene expression in MCF-7 cancer cells.

This study investigates the effects of different sized unmodified and chemo-responsive mesoporous silica nanocarriers on MCF-7 cancer cells. Unmodified and thiol-functionalized large and small-sized mesoporous MCM-41 silica nanoparticles prepared using templated sol-gel process were characterized for their physicochemical properties and and anticancer efficacy. Microarray analysis was carried out to assess their differential effect on gene expression.

Chemoresponsive smart mesoporous silica systems - An emerging paradigm for cancer therapy.

Nanotechnology-based interventions have gained popularity in the past decade for cancer therapy owing to their ability to overcome several shortcomings encountered in conventional therapy. Among the various nanoparticles that have been explored as drug carriers, mesoporous silica possesses certain desirable properties such as regulated pore size, high surface area, chemical and thermal stability, amenability for surface modification and biocompatibility. These systems have been widely investigated for site-specific delivery of single and multiple therapeutic agents as well as for imaging and theranostic applications.

Engineered chemoswitchable mesoporous silica for tumor-specific cytotoxicity.

Specific release of drugs in the tumor microenvironment can significantly enhance the therapeutic efficiency. This work attempts to develop a mesoporous silica carrier that can selectively release drugs in the tumor microenvironment. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MCM-41) with spherical morphology were synthesized using the sol-gel method.