Long Circulating Cancer Cell-Targeted Bionic Nanocarriers Enable Synergistic Combinatorial Therapy in Colon Cancer

Cancer nanomedicine treatment aims to achieve highly specific targeting and localization to cancer cells. Coating of nano-particles with cell membranes endows them with homologous cellular mimicry, enabling nanoparticles to acquire new functions and properties, including homologous targeting and long circulation in vivo, and can enhance internalization by homologous cancer cells. Herein, we fused a human-derived HCT116 colon cancer cell membrane (cM) with a red blood cell membrane (rM) to fabricate an erythrocyte-cancer cell hybrid membrane (hM). Oxaliplatin and chlorin e6 (Ce6) co-encapsulated reactive oxygen species-responsive nanoparticles (NPOC) were camou-flaged by hM and obtained a hybrid biomimetic nanomedicine (denoted as hNPOC) for colon cancer therapy. hNPOC exhibited prolonged circulation time and recognized homologous targeting ability in vivo since both rM and HCT116 cM proteins were maintained on the hNPOC surface. hNPOC showed enhanced homologous cell uptake in vitro and considerable homologous self-localization in vivo, producing effective synergistic chemophotodynamic therapy efficacy under irradiation with a homologous HCT116 tumor compared to that with a heterologous tumor. Together, the biomimetic hNPOC nanoparticles showed prolonged blood circulation and preferential cancer cell-targeted function in vivo to provide a bioinspired strategy for chemophotodynamic synergistic therapy of colon cancer.

Automated summary

Cancer nanomedicine treatment aims to achieve specific targeting to cancer cells. By coating nanoparticles with cell membranes, they acquire new functions and properties, including targeting and long circulation. In this study, a hybrid biomimetic nanomedicine was developed for colon cancer therapy, which showed prolonged circulation and targeted function to provide a bioinspired strategy for chemophotodynamic synergistic therapy of colon cancer.