Chondroitin sulfate functionalized mesostructured silica nanoparticles as biocompatible carriers for drug delivery

• Main Authors: Xi J, Qin J, Fan L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2012-10-01
• Series: International Journal of Nanomedicine
• Online Access: http://www.dovepress.com/chondroitin-sulfate-functionalized-mesostructured-silica-nanoparticles-a11218

Juqun Xi,1 Jin Qin,2 Lei Fan21Department of Pharmacology, Yangzhou University Medical Academy, Yangzhou, People's Republic of China; 2School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have garnered a great deal of attention as potential carriers for therapeutic payloads. Here, we report a pH-responsive drug-carrier based on chondroitin sulfate functionalized mesostructured silica nanoparticles (NMChS-MSNs) ie, the amidation between NMChS macromer and amino group functionalized MSNs. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using dynamic light scattering, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The resultant NMChS-MSNs were uniform spherical nanoparticles with a mean diameter of approximately 74 nm. Due to the covalent graft of hydrophilic and pH responsive NMChS, the NMChS-MSNs could be well dispersed in aqueous solution, which is favorable to being utilized as drug carriers to construct a pH-responsive controlled drug delivery system. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), a well-known anticancer drug, could be effectively loaded into the channels of NMChS-MSNs through electrostatic interactions between drug and matrix. The drug release rate of DOX@NMChS-MSNs was pH dependent and increased with the decrease of pH. The in vitro cytotoxicity test indicated that NMChS-MSNs were highly biocompatible and suitable to use as drug carriers. Our results imply that chondroitin sulfate functionalized nanoparticles are promising platforms to construct the pH-responsive controlled drug delivery systems for cancer therapy.Keywords: mesoporous silica nanoparticle, pH sensitive, chondroitin sulfate, drug delivery