Light‐Controlled Nanosystem with Size‐Flexibility Improves Targeted Retention for Tumor Suppression

Abstract

Although great promise has been achieved with nanomedicines in cancer therapy, limitations are still encountered, such as short retention time in the tumor. Herein, a nanosystem that can modulate the particle size in situ by near‐infrared (NIR) light is self‐assembled by cross‐linking the surface‐modified poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) from the up‐conversion nanoparticle with indocyanine green and doxorubicin–nitrobenezene–polyethylene glycol (DOX–NB–PEG). The nanosystem with its small size (≈100 nm) achieves better tumor targeting, while the PEG on the surface of the nanosystem can effectively shield the adsorption of proteins during blood circulation, maintaining a stable nanostructure and achieving good tumor targeting. Moreover, the nanosystem at the tumor realizes the rapid shedding of PEG on its surface by NIR irradiation, and the enhanced cellular uptake. At the same time, aggregation occurs inside the nanosystem to form bigger particles (≈600 nm) in situ, prolonging the retention time at the tumor and producing enhanced targeted therapeutic effects. In vitro data show higher cellular uptake and a higher rate of apoptosis after irradiation, and the in vivo data prove that the nanosystem have a longer residence time at the tumor site after NIR irradiation. This nanosystem demonstrates an effective therapeutic strategy in targeted synergistic tumors.

A Photothermal-Response Oxygen Release Platform Based on Hydrogel for Accelerating Wound Healing

“…In addition, it is a NIR clinical imaging agent that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 21,22 . Photothermal therapy (PTT) originated from the photothermal effect and has been applied in the eld of clinical treatment [39][40][41] . Therefore, the photothermal properties of the NC hydrogel were investigated.…”

Dual-responsive nanoparticles with transformable shape and reversible charge for amplified chemo-photodynamic therapy of breast cancer

“…The clearance by mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) in the blood circulation makes it difficult for nanoparticles to enrich in the tumor site, the high interstitial fluid pressure in the tumor parenchyma tends to pump the nanoparticles back to the blood, and the dense matrix and high solid stress hinder the penetration of nanoparticles into deep tumors 5 . Therefore, it is important to overcome these barriers by designing novel nanoparticles, which has attracted increasing attention in the field 6 , 7 , 8 .…”

An excipient-free “sugar-coated bullet” for the targeted treatment of orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma

“…[18][19][20] Another limitation is the low retention of antitumor drugs in neoplastic foci despite their transport to the tumor with the assistance of nanocarriers. [21][22][23] The molecular drugs are pumped out by efflux proteins in cancer cells, leading to a low drug concentration in the tumor and thus decreased pharmaceutical efficacy. [24][25][26] In light of the current challenges in nanomedicine, alternative strategies involving the fabrication of monocomponent nanoformulations [27][28][29][30][31] with a size aggregation effect after activation in the tumor microenvironment (TME) 32,33 are highly attractive for oncotherapy and clinical translation.…”

“…18–20 Another limitation is the low retention of antitumor drugs in neoplastic foci despite their transport to the tumor with the assistance of nanocarriers. 21–23 The molecular drugs are pumped out by efflux proteins in cancer cells, leading to a low drug concentration in the tumor and thus decreased pharmaceutical efficacy. 24–26…”