Journal
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
Volume 8, Issue 34, Pages 22442-22450Publisher
AMER CHEMICAL SOC
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b04933
Keywords
ZnO quantum dots; pH-responsive; doxorubicin; hyaluronic acid; controlled release
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [21575047, 21275062]
- WSU
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In this paper, we reported a ZnO quantum dots-based pH-responsive drug delivery platform for intracellular controlled release of drugs. Acid-decomposable, luminescent aminated ZnO quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized as nanocarriers with ultrasmall size (similar to 3 nm). The dicarboxyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) had been introduced to NH2-ZnO QDs, which rendered it stable under physiological fluid. Moreover, a targeting ligand, hyaluronic acid (HA), was conjugated to ZnO QDs for specifically binding to the overexpressed glycoprotein CD44 by cancer cells. Doxorubicin (DOX) molecules were successfully loaded to PEG functionalized ZnO QDs via formation of metal DOX complex and covalent interactions. The pH-sensitive ZnO QDs dissolved to Zn2+ in acidic endosome/lysosome after uptake by cancer cells, which triggered dissociation of the metal-drug complex and a controlled DOX release. As result, a synergistic therapy was achieved due to incorporation of the antitumor effect of Zn2+ and DOX.
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