Self-assembled thermosensitive luminescent nanoparticles with peptide-Au conjugates for cellular imaging and drug delivery

Publication date: Available online 19 June 2019Source: Chinese Chemical LettersAuthor(s): Xiaoyuan Zhang, Wei Liu, Haixia Wang, Xinne Zhao, Zhenfang Zhang, Gerd Ulrich Nienhaus, Li Shang, Zhiqiang SuAbstractA facile and efficient strategy has been developed to fabricate a multifunctional, theranostic anticancer drug delivery platform featuring active targeting, controlled drug release and fluorescence imaging for real-time control of delivery. To this end, thermosensitive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanospheres are decorated with peptide-Au cluster conjugates as a smart nanomedicine platform. A sophisticated trifunctional peptide is designed to release the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX), target cells and reduce Au3+ ions to form luminescent Au clusters. Importantly, the peptide-Au cluster moieties are attached to the PNIPAM nanospheres via amide bonds rather than noncovalent interactions, significantly improving their stability in biological medium and drug release efficiency. The in vitro experiments showed that DOX was released in an efficient and controlled manner under physiological conditions.Graphical abstractA new theranostic system has been successfully fabricated by incorporating thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) nanospheres with luminescent peptide-Au clusters (PNIPAM-peptide-Au nanospheres). With excellent stability, thermo-responsiveness, red fluorescence and targeting ability, these PNIPAM-peptide-Au nanospheres hold great potential as mu...
Source: Chinese Chemical Letters - Category: Chemistry Source Type: research