Virus-like particles with removable cyclodextrins enable glutathione-triggered drug release in cells

The efficient delivery of hydrophobic drugs into target cells without the use of organic solvents or chemical linkage to delivery carriers is an important theme in the biomedical and pharmaceutical field. In this study, we synthesized virus-like particles (VLPs) coupled with cyclodextrins (CDs) as hydrophobic pockets through disulfide bonds inside the VLPs, where hydrophobic drugs can be incorporated. We report here the intracellular delivery of hydrophobic dyes or drugs encapsulated in VLPs through CDs with high efficiency and their subsequent release in cells in response to glutathione. As a model anticancer drug, paclitaxel (PTX)-CD complexes were encapsulated inside VLPs and the cytotoxic drug activity of PTX loaded VLPs against NIH3T3 cells was evaluated by CCK-8 assay. PTX-loaded VLPs exhibited a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect with a 20-fold smaller IC50 than that of free PTX dissolved in DMSO. These results indicate that VLPs with removable CDs afford highly promising carriers of hydrophobic drugs without chemical modification of drugs.