Nanometric Micelles with Photo‐Triggered Cytotoxicity

Abstract

The development of a photo‐responsive micellar system capable of triggering cell death is reported. Precursors of the micelles are synthesized by connecting a lipophilic chain to a hydrophilic polyethylene glycol via a photo‐labile nitrobenzyl group. The resulting amphiphilic units are self‐assembled in water forming 12 nm micelles that are readily internalized into cells. Upon photo‐irradiation, micelles undergo cleavage and yield a cytotoxic nitrosobenzaldehyde derivative, which significantly inhibits the proliferation of MDA‐MB‐231 cells under standard in vitro conditions.

Recent Advances in Bioplastics: Application and Biodegradation

“…These photo-isomerisable molecules can induce a drug release from loaded micelles by promoting micellar disruption or micellar deformation [124]. For example, stearic acid linked to a PEG segment via a UV-responsive nitrobenzaldehyde (NB) linker elicited a cytotoxic effect in breast cancer cell lines [125]. A clever approach, performed by Yan and colleagues [126], to overcome the limited penetration of UV excitation was to dope polymeric nanoparticles with lanthanides-based molecules that respond to a near infrared (NIR) excitation and cause a localized UV emission.…”

Recent advances in cell imaging and cytotoxicity of intracellular stimuli-responsive nanomaterials

“…During the intracellular application processes such as cell imaging, biomolecular sensing and drug delivery, the stimuli-responsive nanomaterials usually undergo changes of physicochemical properties including chemical structure [14,30], volume [16] and shape [15]. Therefore, besides the merits in therapy or detection functions, special attention should o be paid to the stimuli-responsive nanocarriers since they interact with cells in the process of releasing cargoes, which may consequently influence on cell functions.…”

“…However, they cause cytotoxicity to some extent when being cultured at 25°C for 4 h due to thermoresponsive volume expansion below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Some researchers take the advantages of triggered cytotoxic effect of nanomaterials to kill cancer cells [14,15,36]. Anilkumar et al [14] developed a photo-responsive micellar system capable of triggering cell death (Fig.…”

“…Reprinted with permission from Ref. [14]. Copyright 2014 Wiley decomposition-assembly of micelles show significantly higher cytotoxicity.…”

“…When performing functions in living cells, the stimuliresponsive nanomaterials can exhibit chemical structure change [14], shape transformation [15], or volume W. Zhang [16] in the presence of stimuli (i.e., pH, temperature, redox potential, light, and specific bioactive molecules). These physiochemical property changes may cause cytotoxicity or affect cell functions [14][15][16]. Hence, it is important to investigate the interactions between the stimuli-responsive nanomaterials and cells, which in turn are instructive for the design and fabrication of effective platforms for therapeutics, diagnostics, and imaging agents.…”