We report a dual-responsive, self-assembled nano micelle for co-delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and a previously reported cyclopalladated anti-cancer agent (CP). In this micelle system, doxorubicin and CP were electrostatically complexed to form a hydrophobic core while a conjugation of polyethylene glycol and β-cyclodextrin (CD) was designed to construct the hydrophilic out-layer and stabilize the micelle. The interaction between pegylated CD and DOX-CP composite was achieved via inclusion of ferrocene moiety by CD, which could be broken by stimulating ROS that is over-expressed in many cancer cell lines. Moreover, the DOX-CP adduct can be destabilized under an acidic environment that exists in most solid tumors, which can further disassemble the micelle and release the two drugs. The fabricated micelle was characterized by TEM, DLS and its stimulus-responsive characteristic were confirmed by drugrelease profile. The in vitro cellular cytotoxicity was also evaluated, which showed improved anti-cancer effect of drugloaded micelle compared to free drugs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.