Designing cancer nanodrugs that are highly loaded, pH-responsive, photothermal, and possess a favored morphology: A hierarchical assembly of DOX and layer-by-layer modified rGO

In this study, we designed a spherical nanodrug by forming clusters using DOX and a polymer-engineered rGO. These spherical nanodrugs had a diameter of around 750 nm and assumed both functionalities of chemical therapy and the photothermal effect. In addition, this nanodrug featured a high-loading capability of DOX, a pH-responsive release profile, a self-fluorescent capability, and an effective accumulation in cancer cells. The layer-by-layer assembly of three cycles of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) around the rGO core was indispensable in achieving a chemically-modified rGO precursor that assembled with DOX to produce the spherical nanodrug. The spherical nanodrug effectively decreased cell viability upon NIR irradiations.Graphical abstractA facile strategy to construct the multifunctional rGO-DOX nanodrugs by hydrogen bonding is reported. The nanodrugs are highly loaded, pH-responsive, photothermal, and possess a favored morphology.
Source: Chinese Chemical Letters - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research