The complex tumor microenvironment (TME) makes it difficult for single chemotherapy to achieve satisfactory therapeutic effects. Here, chitosan-coated hyaluronic acid micelles (R/C/D@HAssOA) that co-delivers doxorubicin (DOX) and programmed death-ligand 1 small interfering RNA (siPD-L1) are developed to enhance anti-tumor effect by combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy. The pH/reduction dual-responsive co-delivery micelles R/C/D@HAssOA are spherical particles about 180 nm, and have good drug loading performance, stability, biocompatibility, and TME-responsive drug release properties. The CD44 receptor targeting HA significantly enhances the cellular uptake of DOX and siPD-L1, and siPD-L1 causes the immune infiltration of CD4+/CD8+ T cells by silencing PD-L1 expression. In vivo studies show that R/C/D@HAssOA exhibits significantly stronger anti-breast cancer effect than that of free DOX and micelles loaded only DOX. Therefore, the dual-stimulus responsive micelles provide a promising strategy for combining chemotherapy and siRNA-based immunotherapy to enhance efficacy.
Keywords: Breast cancer; Dual-stimulus responsiveness; Hyaluronic acid; Immunotherapy; Programmed death-ligand 1 small interfering RNA (siPD-L1).
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