Embedding fluorescent mesoporous silica nanoparticles into biocompatible nanogels for tumor cell imaging and thermo/pH-sensitive in vitro drug release.

Thermo/pH-sensitive/fluorescent/biocompatible nanospheres consisting of quantum dots-embedded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Q-MS) as a core and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM))-graft-chitosan (CS) nanogels as a shell (PNIPAM-g-CS) were prepared via temperature-regulated one-pot copolymerization of NIPAM monomer and CS in the presence of Q-MS. The prepared nanospheres exhibited remarkable fluorescence/thermo/pH-sensitivity. HepG2 cells treated with nanospheres displayed bright fluorescence imaging. Loading efficiency and capacity of Doxorubicin (Dox) into nanospheres were regularly increased with the increment of Dox concentration. At a high temperature and a low pH, cumulative in vitro release of Dox from Dox-loaded nanospheres was much great and fast. Released Dox still retained high anticancer activity, and blank nanosphere carriers produced neglectful toxicity to HepG2 cells. The multifunctional nanospheres could be further developed toward temperature/pH-regulated drug carriers for in vivo tumor therapy with a rapid drug release and fluorescence imaging in targeted tissues.

Gui R ，Wang Y ，Sun J 《-》

Encapsulating magnetic and fluorescent mesoporous silica into thermosensitive chitosan microspheres for cell imaging and controlled drug release in vitro.

In this study, for the first time, multifunctional inorganic/organic core/shell hybrid microspheres consisted of Fe3O4 nanoparticles/CdTe quantum dots dual-embedded mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MQ-MSN) as cores and P(N-isopropylacrylamide)-graft-Chitosan microgels (PNIPAM-g-CS) as shells were prepared by copolymerization of NIPAM and CS in the presence of MQ-MSN. The preparation of microspheres (i.e., MQ-MSN/PNIPAM-g-CS) included three stages. First, Fe3O4/CdTe nanocomposites (MQ NCs) were prepared by self-assembly of electrostatic adsorption. Second, MQ NCs were encapsulated into silica spheres by modified Stöber method to obtain MQ-MSN. Third, NIPAM monomers were initiated to fabricate PNIPAM networks with MQ-MSN distributed below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM, and then PNIPAM reacted with CS to form PNIPAM-g-CS copolymers above the LCST, meanwhile the PNIPAM networks collapsed to form microspheres, resulting in the MQ-MSN encapsulated into microspheres. The microspheres were systematically characterized, displaying perfect magnetic/fluorescent properties and thermo-sensitivity. HepG2 cancer cells treated with the microspheres revealed bright fluorescence imaging. Both the efficiency and capacity of Adriamycin (ADM) loaded into the microspheres were gradually increased with ADM concentration increasing. The ADM cumulative release in vitro from ADM-loaded microspheres was significant at a higher temperature (or a lower pH). The released ADM still maintained high anticancer activity, and the blank microsphere carriers hardly produced toxicity to HepG2 cells. Hence, the multifunctional microspheres exhibited a promising application especially as thermo/pH-sensitive drug carriers for in vivo therapy.

Gui R ，Wang Y ，Sun J 《-》

Natural gelatin capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles for intracellular acid-triggered drug delivery.

Zou Z ，He D ，He X ，Wang K ，Yang X ，Qing Z ，Zhou Q ... -  《-》

Luminescent carbon dot-gated nanovehicles for pH-triggered intracellular controlled release and imaging.

Zhou L ，Li Z ，Liu Z ，Ren J ，Qu X ... -  《-》

Core-shell structured luminescent and mesoporous β-NaYF4:Ce3+/Tb3+@mSiO2-PEG nanospheres for anti-cancer drug delivery.

Wu Y ，Yang D ，Kang X ，Ma P ，Huang S ，Zhang Y ，Li C ，Lin J ... -  《-》