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Redox-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer for anti-cancer drug targeting and real-time monitoring

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Abstract

Redox-responsive colloidal mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CMS) drug delivery systems based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) was successfully designed for targeting and real-time monitoring in potential cancer therapy. FRET-CMS indicated the typical type IV isotherm with uniform distribution and wormhole arrangement of mesopores. In vitro release studies indicate the redox-sensitive drug release behaviors. Furthermore, the release of entrapped drugs in real time is monitored by the changed FRET signals of FRET-CMS, which is effectively controlled due to the eliminating FRET with the dissociation of FRET donor–acceptor pair. Fluorescent images of cellular uptake and cell viability test revealed that FRET-CMS enhanced significantly 6-MP accumulation in Hela cells with CD44 receptor over-expressed compared to MCF-7 cells due to the existence of hyaluronic acid and subsequently induced selective cytotoxicity to Hela cells. The obtained results illustrate that FRET-CMS may be a promising nanocarrier for drug delivery systems in cancer therapy.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81201197). We thank Prof. Xincai Xiao of the Analytic and Testing Center of South-Central University for Nationalities for the measurements of TEM and SEM and Prof. Qingzhi Wu of the Analytic and Testing Center of Wuhan University of Technology for the measurements of XRD and Nitrogen adsorption-desorption.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Wuhan, China

    Mingxing Liu, Jian Liu, Yu Wang, Wanxia Wang, Hongda Zhu, Huiling Guo & Hongmei Sun

  2. National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Wuhan, China

    Mingxing Liu, Jian Liu, Yu Wang, Wanxia Wang, Hongda Zhu, Huiling Guo & Hongmei Sun

  3. Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China

    Mingxing Liu, Jian Liu, Yu Wang, Wanxia Wang, Hongda Zhu, Huiling Guo & Hongmei Sun

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  1. Mingxing Liu
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  2. Jian Liu
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Liu, M., Liu, J., Wang, Y. et al. Redox-responsive mesoporous silica nanoparticles based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer for anti-cancer drug targeting and real-time monitoring. Journal of Materials Research 36, 1883–1898 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-021-00252-z

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