title: Chitosan-based core-shell nanomaterials for pH-triggered release of anticancer drug and near-infrared bioimaging.
abstract: As a naturally-abundant biopolymer, chitosan (CS) exhibit pH-sensitive structural transformation within a narrow pH range. Integrating hydrophobic groups to CS molecules gives modified CS polymers with more adjustable pH responsiveness. In this paper, near-infrared (NIR) photoluminescent Ag2S QDs capped by long-chain carboxylic acid were synthesized and then conjugated with CS via esterification reaction. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) has an affinity for the hydrophobic oleoyl groups and was entrapped by them to produce Ag2S(DOX)@CS nanospheres. A variety of experiments were performed to characterize the nanospheres. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the nanospheres can release DOX at lowered pH in tumor cells and have high antitumor efficacy. In addition, the strong NIR signal derived from the encapsulated Ag2S QDs makes real-time monitoring of the nanosphere distribution in a body possible. This study provides a new CS-based nanocomposite drug carrier for efficient cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: ljtan@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Lianjiang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education and College of Textile & Clothing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education and College of Textile & Clothing, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China.
authors.forename: Shuiping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China. Electronic address: yumeishen@sjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
authors.forename: Zhifeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000737:chemistry*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007259:Infrared Rays; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D061848:Optical Imaging
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004317:Doxorubicin; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Antitumor; Chitosan; Core-shell nanospheres; NIR bioimaging; pH-triggered drug release