In-situ immobilization of quantum dots in polysaccharide-based nanogels for integration of optical pH-sensing, tumor cell imaging, and drug delivery.
We report a class of polysaccharide-based hybrid nanogels that can integrate the functional building blocks for optical pH-sensing, cancer cell imaging, and controlled drug release into a single nanoparticle system, which can offer broad opportunities for combined diagnosis and therapy. The hybrid nanogels were prepared by in-situ immobilization of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) in the interior of the pH and temperature dual responsive hydroxypropylcellulose-poly(acrylic acid) (HPC-PAA) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks. The-OH groups of the HPC chains are designed to sequester the precursor Cd(2+) ions into the nanogels as well as stabilize the in-situ formed CdSe QDs. The pH-sensitive PAA network chains are designed to induce a pH-responsive volume phase transition of the hybrid nanogels. The developed HPC-PAA-CdSe hybrid nanogels combine a strong trap emission at 741nm for sensing physicochemical environment in a pH dependent manner and a visible excitonic emission at 592nm for mouse melanoma B16F10 cell imaging. The hybrid nanogels also provide excellent stability as a drug carrier, which cannot only provide a high drug loading capacity for a model anticancer drug temozolomide, but also offer a pH-triggered sustained-release of the drug molecules in the gel network.
Wu
Weitai
W
Department of Chemistry, The City University of New York, College of Staten Island, Staten Island, NY 10314, USA.
Aiello
Michael
M
Zhou
Ting
T
Berliner
Alexandra
A
Banerjee
Probal
P
Zhou
Shuiqin
S
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D002104:Cadmium / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005782:Gels / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005782:Gels; D011134:Polysaccharides; D002104:Cadmium; D012643:Selenium