Open AccessSelf-Assembling pH-Responsive Nanoparticle Platform Based on Pectin–Doxorubicin Conjugates for Codelivery of Anticancer Drugs
Author(s) -
Yinghua Tao,
Dan Zheng,
Jingyang Zhao,
Kefeng Liu,
Jing Liu,
Jiandu Lei,
Luying Wang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
acs omega
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.779
H-Index - 40
ISSN - 2470-1343
DOI - 10.1021/acsomega.0c06131
Subject(s) - doxorubicin , pectin , conjugate , chemistry , conjugated system , nanoparticle , nile red , confocal microscopy , drug delivery , amphiphile , nanotechnology , biophysics , polymer , biochemistry , materials science , fluorescence , organic chemistry , chemotherapy , biology , mathematical analysis , mathematics , physics , quantum mechanics , microbiology and biotechnology , copolymer , genetics
Pharmaceutical science based on biological nanotechnology is developing rapidly in parallel with the development of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in general. Pectin is a natural polysaccharide obtainable from a wide range of sources. Here, we show that doxorubicin (DOX)-conjugated hydrophilic pectin (PET) comprising an amphiphilic polymer loaded with hydrophobic dihydroartemisinin (DHA) self-assemble into nanoparticles. Importantly, conjugated DOX and DHA could be released quickly in a weakly acidic environment by cleavage of the acid-sensitive acyl hydrazone bond. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry confirmed that these PET-DOX/DHA nanoparticles efficiently delivered DOX into the nuclei of MCF-7 cells. Significant tumor growth reduction was monitored in a female C57BL/6 mouse model, showing that the PET-DOX/DHA nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery system inhibited tumor growth and may improve therapy. Thus, we have demonstrated that pectin may be useful in the design of materials for biomedical applications.