Specific Cancer Cytosolic Drug Delivery Triggered by Reactive Oxygen Species-Responsive Micelles

Biomacromolecules. 2016 Sep 12;17(9):3040-7. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.6b00916. Epub 2016 Aug 26.

Abstract

Cytosolic drug delivery, a major route in cancer therapy, is limited by the lack of efficient and safe endosomal escape techniques. Herein, we demonstrate a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive micelle composed of methoxy polyethylene glycol-b-poly(diethyl sulfide) (mPEG-PS) copolymers which can induce specific endosome escape in cancer cells by changes in the hydrophobicity of copolymers. Owing to the more ROS levels in cancer cells than normal cells, the copolymers can be converted into more hydrophilic and insert into and destabilize the cancer intracellular endosome membrane after cellular uptake. More importantly, we show that acid-intolerant drugs successfully maintain their bioactivity and cause selective cytotoxicity for cancer cells over normal cells. Our results suggest that the endosomal escape induced by hydrophobic-hydrophilic exchange of copolymers has great potential to locally and efficiently deliver biological agents (e.g., proteins and genes) in the cancer cell cytosol.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Cytosol / metabolism
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Endosomes / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Micelles*
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Rabbits
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • alpha-Tocopherol / administration & dosage
  • alpha-Tocopherol / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Micelles
  • Polymers
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • monomethoxypolyethylene glycol
  • alpha-Tocopherol