title: Electrospun PLA/MWCNTs composite nanofibers for combined chemo- and photothermal therapy.
abstract: Carbon nanotubes are effective thermal generators by absorbing near-infrared radiation (NIR). In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and doxorubicin (DOX) were successfully electrospun into the poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) nanofibers. It is confirmed that NIR radiation could not only initiate burst release of DOX from the fibers due to the relatively low glass transition temperature (Tg) of PLLA, but also significantly increase the temperature of fibers-covering tumor site. The multifunctional fibers showed increased cytotoxicity both in vitro and in vivo by the combination of photothermal induced hyperthermia and chemotherapy with DOX. This drug delivery system could be very useful and convenient in future clinical applications for localized cancer therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination of chemo- and photothermal therapy has been widely researched owing to its enhanced cancer treatment efficacy. In this study, chemotherapy and photothermal therapy were integrated into one single system using electrospun DOX/MWCNTs loaded PLLA nanofiber mats and the anti-cancer efficacy of the fibers was studied in vivo for the first time. The effective NIR irradiation control showed a typical switch on/off effect on the release behavior of drug. As local delivery system, the fibers maximize the drug concentration in tumor and keep the MWCNTs in the surroundings of tumor, thus allowing a repeated localized heating. The high porosity of nanofibers is easy for cell binding, which may present an attractive alternative for local hyperthermia treatment of easily metastasizing tumors.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: ybhuang@ciac.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000379:methods; D004058:Diffusion; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D004595:Electroplating / Q000379:methods*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D051379:Mice; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D053769:Nanocapsules; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide); D004317:Doxorubicin
keywords: Combination cancer therapy; Doxorubicin; Electrospun nanofibers; Local treatment; MWCNTs