Controlled Intracellular Polymerization for Cancer Treatment

Numerous prodrugs have been developed and used for cancer treatments to reduce side effects and promote efficacy. In this work, we have developed a new photoactivatable prodrug system based on intracellular photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization. This unique polymerization process provided a platform for the synthesis of structure-predictable polymers with well-defined structures in living cells. The intracellularly generated poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)s were found to induce cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and necroptosis, inhibit cell proliferation, and reduce cancer cell motilities. This polymerization-based prodrug system efficiently inhibits tumor growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo and will promote the development of targeted and directed cancer chemotherapy.

Automated summary

In this study, a photoactivatable prodrug system based on PET-RAFT polymerization was developed for the synthesis of structure-predictable polymers in living cells. The generated polymers showed inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth and migration.