Leveraging a polycationic polymer to direct tunable loading of an anticancer agent and photosensitizer with opposite charges for chemo-photodynamic therapy

J Mater Chem B. 2020 Feb 14;8(6):1235-1244. doi: 10.1039/c9tb02400j. Epub 2020 Jan 20.

Abstract

Herein, we reported a primary amine containing polycationic polymer to load an oppositely charged anticancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX) and a photosensitizer (chlorin e6, Ce6) for combinational chemo-photodynamic therapy. The electrostatic interactions as well as other multiple interactions between the polymer and payloads endowed the drug-loaded nanoparticles with excellent stability. Moreover, the electrostatic attraction between the cationic polymer and anionic Ce6 dictated that Ce6 had higher loading efficiency than DOX. DOX showed pH-responsive drug release owing to the increased solubility of protonated DOX and reduced interaction with the partially protonated polymer under acidic conditions. In contrast, Ce6 showed pH-insensitive release because of the smaller change in solubility and the intense interactions between Ce6 and the polymer. Synergistic chemo/photodynamic therapy of 4T1 cancer cells was achieved by light-triggered reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated enhanced cellular uptake and effective endo/lysosomal escape of drug-loaded nanoparticles. Our study demonstrated that the polycationic polymer could act as a robust carrier for differential loading and release of oppositely charged cargos for combinational therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / chemistry
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology*
  • Cations / chemical synthesis
  • Cations / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chlorophyllides
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Male
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Structure
  • NIH 3T3 Cells
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemotherapy*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / chemistry
  • Photosensitizing Agents / pharmacology*
  • Polymers / chemical synthesis
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Porphyrins / chemistry
  • Porphyrins / pharmacology*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Cations
  • Chlorophyllides
  • Photosensitizing Agents
  • Polymers
  • Porphyrins
  • phytochlorin
  • Doxorubicin