Smart MSN-Drug-Delivery System for Tumor Cell Targeting and Tumor Microenvironment Release.

Tumor-targeted delivery and controlled release of antitumor drugs are promising strategies for increasing chemotherapeutic efficacy and reducing adverse effects. Although mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been known as a potential delivery system for doxorubicin (DOX), they have restricted applications due to their uncontrolled leakage and burst release from their large open pores. Herein, we engineered a smart drug-delivery system (smart MSN-drug) based on MSN-drug loading, cell membrane mimetic coating, on-demand pore blocking/opening, and tumor cell targeting strategies.

Quantitative fabrication, performance optimization and comparison of PEG and zwitterionic polymer antifouling coatings.

Unlabelled: A versatile fabrication and performance optimization strategy of PEG and zwitterionic polymer coatings is developed on the sensor chip of surface plasma resonance (SPR) instrument. A random copolymer bearing phosphorylcholine zwitterion and active ester side chains (PMEN) and carboxylic PEG coatings with comparable thicknesses were deposited on SPR sensor chips via amidation coupling on the precoated polydopamine (PDA) intermediate layer. The PMEN coating showed much stronger resistance to bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption than PEG coating at very thin thickness (∼1nm).

Anti-phagocytosis and tumor cell targeting micelles prepared from multifunctional cell membrane mimetic polymers.

Phagocytic clearance and inefficient targeting are two major concerns for nanomedicines in cancer therapy. In this study, cell membrane inspired multifunctional copolymers (PMNCFs) were synthesized by a combination of cell membrane stealthy hydrophilic phosphorylcholine (PC), hydrophobic cholesterol (Chol) and tumor targeting folic acid (FA) functionalities on the different side chain ends. PMNCF micelles were prepared in aqueous solution to form a cell membrane mimetic structure with linked folic acid ligands as the protruding antennae on the surface of the micelles.