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A large-inner-diameter multi-walled carbon nanotube-based dual-drug delivery system with pH-sensitive release properties

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Abstract

A novel dual-drug delivery system (DDDS) for cancer chemotherapy has been established by employing highly purified and mildly oxidized large-inner-diameter multi-walled carbon nanotubes (LID-MWCNTs) as the vector. The LID-MWCNTs were modified with the antitumor drugs, cisplatin (CDDP) and doxorubicin (DOX). CDDP was encapsulated inside the nanotube vectors by a wet-chemical approach while DOX was attached to the external surfaces through non-covalently interaction. The loading efficiencies of CDDP and DOX were as high as 84.56 and 192.67%, respectively. Notably, after CDDP was encapsulated inside the nanotubes, a three-level blocking strategy, which included polyethylene glycol, folic acid and DOX, was employed to block the CDDP exits at different levels. The pH-sensitive release profile of CDDP was demonstrated using a modified characterization method, as well as that of DOX. Finally, the anticancer activity of the DDDS on MCF-7 cells was tested and a synergistic effect was recorded. This work is part of our LID-MWCNTs based drug delivery system studies, and provides a basis for developing a novel comprehensive antitumor treatment that combines chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Pro Yunmao Liao and Dr. Xibo Pei for their constructive discussion. This work was supported by Tianjin Natural Science Foundation (grant no. 16JCZDJC32800) and Sichuan Natural Science Foundation (grant no. 2014SZ0201).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, China No.14, 3rd Section of Ren Min Nan Rd., Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China

      Tao Yang, Han Qin, Zhimin Zhu & Jian Wang

    2. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China No.14, 3rd Section of Ren Min Nan Rd., Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China

      Zhenzhen Wu

    3. School of Stomatology, Tianjin Medical University, China No.12, Qixiangtai Rd. Heping District, Tianjin, 300070, China

      Pingting Wang, Tingting Mu & Lei Sui

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    1. Tao Yang
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    Tao Yang and Zhenzhen Wu contributed equally to this work.

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    Yang, T., Wu, Z., Wang, P. et al. A large-inner-diameter multi-walled carbon nanotube-based dual-drug delivery system with pH-sensitive release properties. J Mater Sci: Mater Med 28, 110 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10856-017-5920-9

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